Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Kepong Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Kepong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $769 in Kepong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,235 in Kepong, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,701 in Kepong, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 69% more than Kepong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kepong are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Kepong 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.44 MYR 13.65

240.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$19.11 MYR 75.8

117.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.79 MYR 18.99

122.13%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.83 MYR 11.22

24.38%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.79 MYR 3.13

91.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.40 MYR 1.58

142.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.56 MYR 14.11

-17.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$5.12 MYR 20.31

-13.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.83 MYR 7.24

-24.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.00 MYR 3.97

89.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.26 MYR 4.98

30.16%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.27 MYR 9.02

10.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$15.20 MYR 60.3

-45.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.18 MYR 20.55

61.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.54 MYR 41.80

1.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.73 MYR 10.83

-4.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.68 MYR 6.67

-13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.44 MYR 9.69

-22.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.19 MYR 4.73

74.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.37 MYR 5.44

29.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.38 MYR 5.48

58.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.95 MYR 3.76

9.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.62 MYR 2.46

74.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.36 MYR 17.29

-6.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$14.79 MYR 58.6

-30.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.64 MYR 10.47

-35.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.86 MYR 11.35

-9.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.73 MYR 2.88

-30.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$11.77 MYR 46.67

124.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.98 MYR 3.87

232.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.98 MYR 3.89

154.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$9.39 MYR 37.23

-65.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.47 MYR 1.85

178.72%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$31.1K MYR 123.4K

-2.72%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$28.4K MYR 112.5K

-17.45%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$45.45 MYR 180

82.33%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$8.90 MYR 35.27

149.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$23.85 MYR 94.6

23.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$31.97 MYR 127

61.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$5.83 MYR 23.13

214.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.08 MYR 20.14

-0.20%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$212 MYR 842

-5.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,999 MYR 27.7K

-25.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$49.11 MYR 195

-24.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$23.80 MYR 94.4

67.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$70.7 MYR 280

10.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$47.90 MYR 190

81.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$246 MYR 975

295.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$174 MYR 691

168.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$611 MYR 2,424

168.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$423 MYR 1,678

188.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,913 MYR 7,585

106.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$959 MYR 3,803

577.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$660 MYR 2,617

0.61%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Kepong: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $246 in Kepong. 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 1% 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 Kepong. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $252 in Kepong – 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 Kepong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $769 in Kepong – roughly 69% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,153 in Kepong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 125% less in Kepong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $212 in Kepong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kepong, where all-in costs run around $769, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Kepong 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 $769 in Kepong to $1,297 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 Kepong. 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.