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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $806 in Langkawi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,241 in Langkawi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,676 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 6% lower, Langkawi 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.49 MYR 14.26

243.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$21.18 MYR 86.6

97.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.95 MYR 24.35

80.67%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.51 MYR 6.19

131.79%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.81 MYR 3.31

79.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.60 MYR 2.46

46.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.49 MYR 14.29

-15.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$5.07 MYR 20.75

-11.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.55 MYR 6.34

-7.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.13 MYR 4.62

62.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.26 MYR 5.13

24.60%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.10 MYR 8.59

19.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$14.79 MYR 60.5

-44.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.48 MYR 18.34

88.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$9.65 MYR 39.45

10.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.94 MYR 7.92

34.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.53 MYR 6.27

-5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.60 MYR 10.62

-24.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.42 MYR 5.83

47.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.18 MYR 4.83

56.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.34 MYR 5.46

61.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.04 MYR 4.24

-0.96%

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

$3.77 MYR 15.40

8.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$8.57 MYR 35.03

18.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$0.83 MYR 3.41

102.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.96 MYR 12.12

-14.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.69 MYR 2.84

-26.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$11.61 MYR 47.48

124.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.20 MYR 4.92

169.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.04 MYR 4.24

131.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.72 MYR 23.39

-43.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.50 MYR 2.06

164.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$34.7K MYR 142.1K

-14.53%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$31.8K MYR 129.9K

-25.49%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$35.46 MYR 145

131.27%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$8.86 MYR 36.23

159.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$29.46 MYR 120

2.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$20.86 MYR 85.3

149.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$6.05 MYR 24.76

206.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.97 MYR 20.34

0.20%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$191 MYR 782

3.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$6,913 MYR 28.3K

-22.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$60.5 MYR 247

-41.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$27.56 MYR 113

46.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$73.6 MYR 301

7.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$51.0 MYR 209

74.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$389 MYR 1,591

143.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$273 MYR 1,117

73.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$647 MYR 2,646

154.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$466 MYR 1,905

159.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,188 MYR 4,857

241.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,232 MYR 5,040

-46.94%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Langkawi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $389 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 88% 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 $21.00 in Langkawi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $216 – 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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $806 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,209 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 124% less in Langkawi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $191 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 $806, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $806 in Langkawi to $1,256 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.