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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $925 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,407 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,890 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 36% 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 5% lower, Kajang, Selangor 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.62 MYR 14.76

223.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$18.64 MYR 76.1

124.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.79 MYR 19.57

119.42%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.13 MYR 12.77

14.70%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.80 MYR 3.27

88.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.49 MYR 2.01

87.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$4.68 MYR 19.10

-36.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$6.04 MYR 24.65

-26.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.81 MYR 7.38

-22.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.02 MYR 4.16

84.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.64 MYR 6.71

-4.88%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.90 MYR 7.74

37.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$15.61 MYR 63.7

-46.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.12 MYR 20.92

63.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$9.49 MYR 38.73

14.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.90 MYR 11.82

-6.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.62 MYR 6.60

-6.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.87 MYR 11.74

-34.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.86 MYR 7.60

17.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.52 MYR 6.19

22.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.74 MYR 7.08

28.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.22 MYR 4.98

-12.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.52 MYR 2.12

109.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.17 MYR 17.04

0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$14.15 MYR 57.8

-26.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.76 MYR 11.25

-39.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.00 MYR 12.27

-13.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.72 MYR 2.96

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$11.70 MYR 47.76

123.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.20 MYR 4.92

156.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.03 MYR 4.20

133.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$4.69 MYR 19.15

-33.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.46 MYR 1.88

184.78%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$35.6K MYR 145.4K

-16.27%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$33.1K MYR 135.2K

-29.56%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$46.16 MYR 188

76.08%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$9.60 MYR 39.19

135.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$30.97 MYR 126

-2.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$36.78 MYR 150

43.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$5.97 MYR 24.39

208.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.08 MYR 20.74

-3.15%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$214 MYR 875

-6.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$6,982 MYR 28.5K

-25.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$60.0 MYR 245

-40.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$37.70 MYR 154

6.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$85.4 MYR 349

-6.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$71.4 MYR 292

21.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$393 MYR 1,605

148.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$269 MYR 1,100

74.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$639 MYR 2,608

158.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$464 MYR 1,896

159.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,029 MYR 8,284

94.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,213 MYR 4,951

444.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.07

180.59%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kajang, Selangor: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $393 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $256 in Kajang, Selangor – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $925 in Kajang, Selangor – roughly 36% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,387 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $19.00 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $925 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 $925, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $925 in Kajang, Selangor to $1,260 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.