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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $829 in Langkawi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,274 in Langkawi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,720 in Langkawi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 56% more than Langkawi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Langkawi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Langkawi 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.49 MYR 13.94

236.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$21.60 MYR 86.2

92.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.99 MYR 23.91

77.63%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.48 MYR 5.92

137.84%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.80 MYR 3.20

88.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.60 MYR 2.40

61.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.46 MYR 13.82

-14.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$4.90 MYR 19.56

-9.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.49 MYR 5.95

-7.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.11 MYR 4.43

70.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.29 MYR 5.14

27.13%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.03 MYR 8.09

23.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$14.87 MYR 59.4

-43.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.28 MYR 17.09

94.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.48 MYR 37.83

13.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.92 MYR 7.66

35.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.47 MYR 5.86

-0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.57 MYR 10.25

-26.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.37 MYR 5.47

51.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.18 MYR 4.70

50.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.33 MYR 5.32

64.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.04 MYR 4.16

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.52 MYR 2.08

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$3.90 MYR 15.55

4.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$19.25 MYR 76.8

-46.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$0.84 MYR 3.33

103.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.97 MYR 11.83

-13.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.69 MYR 2.75

-26.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$11.91 MYR 47.53

122.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.20 MYR 4.79

171.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.98 MYR 3.93

154.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$5.96 MYR 23.77

-45.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.50 MYR 2.01

162.00%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$35.3K MYR 141.0K

-14.30%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$31.7K MYR 126.4K

-26.01%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$35.75 MYR 143

131.80%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$8.89 MYR 35.48

149.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$28.56 MYR 114

2.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$21.56 MYR 86.0

139.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$5.91 MYR 23.57

209.98%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.84 MYR 19.29

4.75%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$185 MYR 737

8.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$6,967 MYR 27.8K

-25.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$59.7 MYR 238

-38.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$26.99 MYR 108

47.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$72.8 MYR 290

7.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$49.93 MYR 199

74.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$390 MYR 1,558

149.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$270 MYR 1,078

73.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$648 MYR 2,587

153.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$474 MYR 1,892

157.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,944 MYR 7,758

102.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$880 MYR 3,510

638.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,095 MYR 8,360

-68.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.07

180.59%

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 Langkawi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $390 in Langkawi. 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 216% higher in Langkawi, 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 $22.00 in Langkawi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $235 – making Langkawi 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 Langkawi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $829 in Langkawi – roughly 56% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,243 in Langkawi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 122% less in Langkawi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $185 in Langkawi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Langkawi, where all-in costs run around $829, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Langkawi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $829 in Langkawi to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Langkawi. 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.