Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Kajang, Selangor Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Kajang, Selangor

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $939 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,414 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,889 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 35% more than Kajang, Selangor, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kajang, Selangor are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Kajang, Selangor 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.64 MYR 14.85

218.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$21.82 MYR 89.1

115.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.78 MYR 19.51

148.54%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.88 MYR 11.75

38.19%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.80 MYR 3.25

78.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.44 MYR 1.80

86.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$4.38 MYR 17.87

-27.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$6.10 MYR 24.88

11.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.67 MYR 6.80

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.06 MYR 4.34

107.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.43 MYR 5.82

19.58%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.75 MYR 7.14

56.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$18.09 MYR 73.8

-47.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.68 MYR 19.10

92.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.00 MYR 40.83

28.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.26 MYR 13.32

-11.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.67 MYR 6.84

-10.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.42 MYR 9.89

-11.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.67 MYR 6.83

35.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.32 MYR 5.41

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.72 MYR 7.03

15.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.15 MYR 4.71

6.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.55 MYR 2.23

118.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.21 MYR 17.17

8.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.96 MYR 57.0

-25.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.89 MYR 11.79

-43.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.15 MYR 12.85

-8.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.78 MYR 3.17

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$12.11 MYR 49.42

137.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.21 MYR 4.95

345.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.76 MYR 3.11

390.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$5.05 MYR 20.60

14.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.76 MYR 3.10

102.63%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$41.7K MYR 170.2K

-45.91%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$34.6K MYR 141.4K

-24.75%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$91.4 MX$1,576

$53.6 MYR 219

70.64%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$25.20 MX$435

$10.09 MYR 41.19

149.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$25.82 MYR 105

20.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$45.02 MYR 184

49.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$7.07 MYR 28.87

311.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.78 MYR 19.51

1.67%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$224 MX$3,856

$218 MYR 890

2.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$4,492 MYR 18.3K

-5.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$67.1 MYR 274

-29.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$16.55 MYR 67.6

167.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$81.0 MYR 331

-1.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$40.77 MYR 166

127.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$460 MYR 1,877

131.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$284 MYR 1,158

37.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$642 MYR 2,622

234.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$429 MYR 1,750

196.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,207 MYR 9,012

81.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,075 MYR 4,387

505.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.06

182.02%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Kajang, Selangor: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $460 in Kajang, Selangor. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in Kajang, Selangor. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $259 – making Kajang, Selangor the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Playa del Carmen vs Kajang, Selangor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $939 in Kajang, Selangor – roughly 35% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,409 in Kajang, Selangor. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kajang, Selangor, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $22.00 in Kajang, Selangor. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $939 in Kajang, Selangor. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kajang, Selangor, where all-in costs run around $939, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Kajang, Selangor it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $939 in Kajang, Selangor to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kajang, Selangor. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.