Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Kuala Lipis Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Kuala Lipis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $863 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,321 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,780 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 47% more than Kuala Lipis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kuala Lipis are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Kuala Lipis 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$3.80 MYR 15.53

205.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$24.85 MYR 102

89.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$3.88 MYR 15.89

206.19%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$3.12 MYR 12.79

27.56%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.36 MYR 1.47

297.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.42 MYR 1.70

95.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$3.28 MYR 13.43

-2.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$5.79 MYR 23.70

17.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.33 MYR 5.46

26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$0.58 MYR 2.38

279.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$0.72 MYR 2.93

137.50%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$1.50 MYR 6.13

82.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$9.58 MYR 39.23

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$2.72 MYR 11.15

231.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$7.96 MYR 32.59

60.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.47 MYR 14.20

-16.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.92 MYR 7.86

-21.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$2.73 MYR 11.18

-21.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.74 MYR 7.14

29.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$2.10 MYR 8.59

-5.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.98 MYR 8.10

0.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$1.45 MYR 5.92

-15.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.50 MYR 2.05

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$4.44 MYR 18.16

2.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$19.34 MYR 79.2

-46.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$2.62 MYR 10.73

-38.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$4.47 MYR 18.28

-35.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.72 MYR 2.95

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$12.18 MYR 49.87

136.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.25 MYR 5.11

331.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$0.36 MYR 1.47

936.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$9.23 MYR 37.76

-37.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$0.52 MYR 2.13

196.15%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$41.6K MYR 170.3K

-45.81%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$13.7K MYR 56.0K

90.34%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$29.15 MYR 119

213.48%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$8.47 MYR 34.67

197.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$21.62 MYR 88.5

44.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$34.78 MYR 142

93.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$5.74 MYR 23.48

407.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$4.94 MYR 20.20

-1.62%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$280 MYR 1,147

-20.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$10.6K MYR 43.5K

-60.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$24.68 MYR 101

90.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$30.08 MYR 123

47.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$78.1 MYR 320

2.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$72.4 MYR 296

27.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$392 MYR 1,604

171.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$304 MYR 1,242

28.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$768 MYR 3,144

179.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$467 MYR 1,913

172.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$2,035 MYR 8,329

96.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,106 MYR 4,527

487.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$445 MYR 1,822

70.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.51

153.88%

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 Kuala Lipis: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $392 in Kuala Lipis. 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 70% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Kuala Lipis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $226 – making Kuala Lipis 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 Kuala Lipis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 47%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,294 in Kuala Lipis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $863 in Kuala Lipis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 136% less in Kuala Lipis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuala Lipis, where all-in costs run around $863, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Kuala Lipis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuala Lipis – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Kuala Lipis. 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.