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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $844 in Kuantan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,245 in Kuantan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,646 in Kuantan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 50% more than Kuantan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kuantan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Kuantan 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$2.40 MYR 9.83

383.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$12.37 MYR 50.6

280.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$3.62 MYR 14.81

228.18%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.83 MYR 11.58

40.64%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.72 MYR 2.95

98.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.44 MYR 1.81

86.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$2.77 MYR 11.35

15.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$5.61 MYR 22.95

21.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.62 MYR 6.62

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$0.83 MYR 3.38

165.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.49 MYR 6.09

14.77%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$1.34 MYR 5.50

104.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$9.89 MYR 40.49

-3.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.24 MYR 13.24

178.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$4.38 MYR 17.94

192.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$2.90 MYR 11.85

-0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.88 MYR 7.71

-20.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$2.69 MYR 11.02

-20.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.76 MYR 7.20

28.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.76 MYR 7.18

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.98 MYR 8.10

0.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.71 MYR 2.91

73.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.55 MYR 2.26

118.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$4.31 MYR 17.64

5.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$19.24 MYR 78.8

-46.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.93 MYR 7.90

-16.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$2.00 MYR 8.20

44.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.47 MYR 1.91

27.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$12.27 MYR 50.2

134.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.13 MYR 4.63

376.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$0.39 MYR 1.59

856.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$9.26 MYR 37.91

-37.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$0.48 MYR 1.96

220.83%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$34.7K MYR 141.9K

-34.97%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$33.4K MYR 136.6K

-21.93%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$48.65 MYR 199

87.83%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$8.18 MYR 33.47

208.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$24.98 MYR 102

25.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$40.04 MYR 164

67.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$6.00 MYR 24.56

385.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$4.57 MYR 18.71

6.35%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$279 MYR 1,142

-19.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$10.5K MYR 42.9K

-59.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$51.5 MYR 211

-8.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$30.18 MYR 124

46.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$49.67 MYR 203

61.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$49.06 MYR 201

88.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$418 MYR 1,711

154.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$319 MYR 1,306

22.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$688 MYR 2,816

212.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$484 MYR 1,981

162.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$2,086 MYR 8,537

91.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,132 MYR 4,634

474.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$999 MYR 4,091

-24.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.15

175.90%

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 Kuantan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $418 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 32% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $12.00 in Kuantan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $211 – 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 50%, 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 $1,266 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 $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $279 in Kuantan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $844, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.