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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $941 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,420 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,899 in Kajang, Selangor, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 37% 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 4% lower, Kajang, Selangor 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$3.58 MYR 14.14

233.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$19.21 MYR 75.9

122.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$4.68 MYR 18.49

126.28%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$3.13 MYR 12.35

15.65%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.84 MYR 3.32

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.49 MYR 1.93

91.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$4.73 MYR 18.68

-34.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$5.96 MYR 23.56

-25.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.80 MYR 7.09

-20.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.05 MYR 4.16

79.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.68 MYR 6.62

-2.98%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.83 MYR 7.21

44.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$15.70 MYR 62.0

-47.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$5.05 MYR 19.93

64.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$9.91 MYR 39.15

12.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$2.95 MYR 11.65

-10.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.63 MYR 6.43

-7.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$2.76 MYR 10.92

-27.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.88 MYR 7.42

10.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.52 MYR 6.02

17.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.79 MYR 7.09

21.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.22 MYR 4.82

-11.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.55 MYR 2.19

89.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$4.31 MYR 17.03

-7.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$19.24 MYR 76.0

-46.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$2.73 MYR 10.79

-36.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.91 MYR 11.50

-14.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.72 MYR 2.85

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$11.95 MYR 47.19

125.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$1.20 MYR 4.75

161.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.99 MYR 3.91

142.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$4.58 MYR 18.09

-32.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$0.49 MYR 1.94

159.18%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$34.7K MYR 137.2K

-11.10%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$32.6K MYR 128.7K

-28.42%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$45.66 MYR 180

79.61%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$9.57 MYR 37.79

134.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$31.09 MYR 123

-4.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$37.47 MYR 148

38.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$5.80 MYR 22.92

221.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$5.02 MYR 19.82

-1.00%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$209 MYR 827

-5.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$6,850 MYR 27.1K

-23.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$61.7 MYR 244

-41.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$37.64 MYR 149

6.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$86.9 MYR 343

-8.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$71.3 MYR 282

24.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$388 MYR 1,532

148.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$273 MYR 1,077

70.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$645 MYR 2,548

147.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$464 MYR 1,834

160.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$1,716 MYR 6,777

129.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$1,022 MYR 4,038

530.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$630 MYR 2,490

14.29%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kajang, Selangor: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 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 14% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Kajang, Selangor. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $267 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $941 in Kajang, Selangor – roughly 37% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,412 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 $43.00 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $941 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 $941, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $941 in Kajang, Selangor to $1,287 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.