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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $774 in Kuantan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,170 in Kuantan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,565 in Kuantan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 62% more than Kuantan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kuantan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Kuantan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$2.37 MYR 9.70

405.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$11.90 MYR 48.68

251.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.49 MYR 14.29

208.02%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.24 MYR 9.17

56.25%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.66 MYR 2.71

119.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.34 MYR 1.37

158.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.44 MYR 14.08

-14.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$5.54 MYR 22.67

-18.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.66 MYR 6.79

-13.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.08 MYR 4.41

70.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.05 MYR 4.30

49.52%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.31 MYR 5.34

91.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.11 MYR 41.35

-18.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.38 MYR 13.82

149.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$6.19 MYR 25.31

72.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.87 MYR 11.74

-9.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.79 MYR 7.33

-19.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$3.02 MYR 12.37

-35.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.04 MYR 8.35

2.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.33 MYR 5.44

39.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.01 MYR 4.13

114.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.68 MYR 2.78

51.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.52 MYR 2.11

105.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.31 MYR 17.64

-4.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$19.31 MYR 79.0

-47.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.85 MYR 7.59

-9.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.92 MYR 7.86

31.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.46 MYR 1.86

10.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$19.99 MYR 81.8

30.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.01 MYR 4.15

219.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.40 MYR 1.64

502.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.25 MYR 17.37

-24.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.49 MYR 2.00

169.39%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$32.4K MYR 132.3K

-8.22%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$31.1K MYR 127.1K

-23.86%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$23.97 MYR 98.0

242.14%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.31 MYR 38.09

146.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$21.38 MYR 87.4

40.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$37.35 MYR 153

39.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$6.03 MYR 24.68

207.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.12 MYR 16.86

20.87%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$116 MYR 474

70.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$4,346 MYR 17.8K

22.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$69.7 MYR 285

-48.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$27.78 MYR 114

45.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$37.84 MYR 155

108.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$47.25 MYR 193

88.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$167 MYR 685

465.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$266 MYR 1,087

78.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$211 MYR 862

679.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$466 MYR 1,907

159.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,099 MYR 8,583

93.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,163 MYR 4,756

456.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$985 MYR 4,028

-33.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.62

215.47%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kuantan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $167 in Kuantan. 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 51% higher in Kuantan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $12.00 in Kuantan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $217 – making Kuantan 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 Kuantan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 62%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,161 in Kuantan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $116 in Kuantan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuantan, where all-in costs run around $774, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Kuantan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuantan – 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 Kuantan. 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.