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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $906 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,370 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,834 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 43% 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 3% lower, Kajang, Selangor 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$3.50 MYR 14.24

235.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$18.78 MYR 76.3

122.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$4.67 MYR 18.96

122.91%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$3.07 MYR 12.47

17.59%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.85 MYR 3.47

71.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.49 MYR 1.99

97.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$4.68 MYR 19.03

-37.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$5.94 MYR 24.16

-22.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.87 MYR 7.62

-23.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.01 MYR 4.09

88.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.66 MYR 6.73

-5.42%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.86 MYR 7.57

41.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$15.51 MYR 63.1

-45.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$5.04 MYR 20.47

70.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$9.43 MYR 38.34

16.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.98 MYR 12.09

-9.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.56 MYR 6.33

-3.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.85 MYR 11.57

-32.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.83 MYR 7.46

18.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.47 MYR 5.96

27.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.72 MYR 6.99

29.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.16 MYR 4.72

-6.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.56 MYR 2.26

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$4.36 MYR 17.71

-4.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$14.11 MYR 57.4

-27.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.88 MYR 11.69

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$3.01 MYR 12.22

-15.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.73 MYR 2.98

-24.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$11.94 MYR 48.53

120.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.15 MYR 4.67

178.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.04 MYR 4.23

136.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$4.77 MYR 19.40

-32.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$0.50 MYR 2.03

164.00%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$36.0K MYR 146.2K

-16.15%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$32.4K MYR 131.6K

-27.73%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$46.36 MYR 188

75.47%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$9.53 MYR 38.73

135.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$31.01 MYR 126

-3.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$37.17 MYR 151

38.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$5.98 MYR 24.32

207.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$4.84 MYR 19.68

6.61%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$212 MYR 862

-4.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$6,851 MYR 27.9K

-22.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$61.7 MYR 251

-42.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$36.60 MYR 149

10.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$87.3 MYR 355

-9.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$69.8 MYR 284

24.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$388 MYR 1,578

144.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$274 MYR 1,114

74.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$640 MYR 2,602

153.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$471 MYR 1,917

159.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$1,981 MYR 8,052

102.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$943 MYR 3,832

586.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$618 MYR 2,511

8.92%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Kajang, Selangor: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $388 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.

Salaries run about 9% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Playa del Carmen vs $255 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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, $906 in Kajang, Selangor – roughly 43% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,359 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $906 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 $906, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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 $906 in Kajang, Selangor to $1,294 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.