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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $932 in Kuala Terengganu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,379 in Kuala Terengganu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,826 in Kuala Terengganu.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 36% more expensive than in Kuala Terengganu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Kuala Terengganu 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.53 MYR 10.32

358.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$23.42 MYR 95.6

101.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.06 MYR 20.65

134.78%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.74 MYR 11.18

45.26%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.47 MYR 1.90

204.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.28 MYR 1.15

192.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$3.77 MYR 15.41

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.50 MYR 18.35

50.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.77 MYR 7.24

-5.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.05 MYR 4.28

109.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.52 MYR 6.20

12.50%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.91 MYR 7.82

43.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$11.50 MYR 46.96

-16.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.52 MYR 18.46

99.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.20 MYR 41.62

25.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.49 MYR 14.24

-17.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.59 MYR 6.51

-5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.42 MYR 9.89

-11.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.68 MYR 6.87

34.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.27 MYR 5.19

55.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.32 MYR 5.40

50.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.18 MYR 4.80

4.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.57 MYR 2.31

110.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.53 MYR 18.51

0.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$17.43 MYR 71.2

-40.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.93 MYR 11.96

-44.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.49 MYR 14.26

-17.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.77 MYR 3.14

-22.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$10.74 MYR 43.84

168.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.12 MYR 4.57

381.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.45 MYR 1.85

728.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$8.33 MYR 33.99

-30.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.82 MYR 3.34

87.80%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$46.2K MYR 188.6K

-51.20%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$34.7K MYR 141.5K

-24.85%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$53.7 MYR 219

70.26%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$9.08 MYR 37.08

177.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$30.68 MYR 125

1.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$42.43 MYR 173

58.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$6.89 MYR 28.14

322.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.51 MYR 18.41

7.76%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$175 MYR 715

27.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$5,228 MYR 21.3K

-19.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$64.9 MYR 265

-27.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$30.80 MYR 126

43.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$79.6 MYR 325

0.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$67.4 MYR 275

37.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$454 MYR 1,852

134.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$273 MYR 1,115

42.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$681 MYR 2,780

215.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$551 MYR 2,250

130.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,147 MYR 8,765

86.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,004 MYR 4,098

547.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$494 MYR 2,016

53.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.2

172.62%

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 Terengganu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $454 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 54% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $23.00 in Kuala Terengganu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $249 per month, with Kuala Terengganu cheaper across the board.

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 Terengganu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Kuala Terengganu differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $932 including rent). Kuala Terengganu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 54% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $454 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $932 in Kuala Terengganu – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuala Terengganu runs roughly 168% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $932 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kuala Terengganu but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kuala Terengganu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kuala Terengganu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kuala Terengganu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.