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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $648 in Mawlamyine, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $945 in Mawlamyine, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,243 in Mawlamyine, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 96% more than Mawlamyine, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mawlamyine are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Mawlamyine 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.02 MMK 4,224

487.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.95 MMK 10.4K

115.15%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$0.98 MMK 2,059

252.04%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.49 MMK 1,023

206.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.46 MMK 3,060

215.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.88 MMK 1,838

56.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.48 MMK 1,006

285.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.93 MMK 6,136

-11.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.31 MMK 17.4K

-0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$2.09 MMK 4,369

300.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$3.72 MMK 7,784

186.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.61 MMK 3,377

63.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.92 MMK 1,921

61.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.73 MMK 3,612

10.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.80 MMK 5,872

-25.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.46 MMK 3,059

27.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.36 MMK 759

527.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.54 MMK 3,231

-31.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.22 MMK 468

395.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.18 MMK 2,479

45.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.76 MMK 3,694

48.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.37 MMK 775

45.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$2.02 MMK 4,235

54.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$2.57 MMK 5,379

-2.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.71 MMK 3,590

-25.73%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$49.3K MMK 103.3M

-38.42%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$34.5K MMK 72.2M

-31.62%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$74.0 MMK 155.0K

12.12%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$24.69 MMK 51.7K

-8.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$49.08 MMK 102.8K

-39.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$122 MMK 255.9K

-58.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$4.91 MMK 10.3K

273.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.94 MMK 8,242

25.13%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$500 MMK 1.0M

-60.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$9,083 MMK 19.0M

-41.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$39.40 MMK 82.5K

-6.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$36.52 MMK 76.5K

9.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$23.76 MMK 49.7K

276.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$251 MMK 524.8K

281.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$122 MMK 256.1K

290.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$595 MMK 1.2M

176.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$252 MMK 528.3K

385.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$793 MMK 1.7M

394.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$495 MMK 1.0M

1205.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

128.40%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mawlamyine: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $251 in Mawlamyine. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

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 Mawlamyine: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 96% more than Mawlamyine, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $971 in Mawlamyine. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $648 in Mawlamyine. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 93% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mawlamyine, where all-in costs run around $648, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Mawlamyine it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mawlamyine costs $648 versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Mawlamyine. 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.