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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $795 in Kuantan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,177 in Kuantan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,560 in Kuantan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 63% more than Kuantan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kuantan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Kuantan 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.35 MYR 9.31

399.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$11.75 MYR 46.58

254.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.47 MYR 13.77

206.63%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.21 MYR 8.78

59.28%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.66 MYR 2.63

128.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.34 MYR 1.33

185.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.58 MYR 14.18

-17.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$5.30 MYR 21.03

-16.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.68 MYR 6.67

-17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.07 MYR 4.24

76.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.06 MYR 4.20

54.72%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.23 MYR 4.89

104.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.00 MYR 39.66

-16.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.48 MYR 13.80

139.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$5.99 MYR 23.74

79.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.00 MYR 11.90

-13.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.77 MYR 7.01

-17.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.94 MYR 11.65

-35.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$2.03 MYR 8.03

2.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.26 MYR 5.01

41.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.03 MYR 4.09

112.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.74 MYR 2.93

40.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.54 MYR 2.15

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.32 MYR 17.12

-5.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$20.51 MYR 81.3

-49.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.94 MYR 7.70

-11.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$1.94 MYR 7.70

32.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.46 MYR 1.82

10.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$20.31 MYR 80.5

30.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.03 MYR 4.08

216.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.37 MYR 1.48

572.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$4.18 MYR 16.56

-22.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.46 MYR 1.81

184.78%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$33.2K MYR 131.6K

-8.77%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$31.8K MYR 126.0K

-26.27%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$23.18 MYR 91.9

257.51%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$9.52 MYR 37.75

133.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$21.18 MYR 84.0

38.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$36.75 MYR 146

40.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$5.75 MYR 22.81

218.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.06 MYR 16.11

24.88%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$119 MYR 473

68.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,303 MYR 17.1K

21.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$72.0 MYR 285

-48.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$27.88 MYR 111

42.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$37.02 MYR 147

111.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$47.66 MYR 189

82.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$167 MYR 663

481.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$270 MYR 1,071

73.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$209 MYR 828

685.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$472 MYR 1,870

158.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,947 MYR 7,718

102.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$958 MYR 3,800

577.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,003 MYR 3,977

-33.81%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kuantan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 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 $219 – 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 63%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,192 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $119 in Kuantan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $795, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.