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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $628 in Mawlamyine, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $926 in Mawlamyine, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,223 in Mawlamyine, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 101% 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 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$1.96 MMK 4,095

497.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$5.14 MMK 10.8K

104.47%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$0.99 MMK 2,068

262.63%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.48 MMK 1,014

214.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.51 MMK 3,167

192.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.87 MMK 1,823

60.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.51 MMK 1,068

268.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.97 MMK 6,215

-12.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.43 MMK 17.7K

-1.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.08 MMK 4,356

301.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$3.88 MMK 8,114

179.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.65 MMK 3,463

64.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.87 MMK 1,821

73.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.79 MMK 3,751

4.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.74 MMK 5,745

-20.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.51 MMK 3,166

23.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.37 MMK 768

502.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.55 MMK 3,247

-30.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.21 MMK 436

419.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.18 MMK 2,469

40.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.77 MMK 3,699

47.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.37 MMK 785

45.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.06 MMK 4,310

49.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$2.53 MMK 5,306

-5.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.76 MMK 3,691

-25.57%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$49.7K MMK 104.1M

-40.08%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$35.5K MMK 74.3M

-34.30%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$74.3 MMK 155.5K

9.45%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$24.57 MMK 51.4K

-8.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$50.1 MMK 104.8K

-39.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$118 MMK 246.5K

-55.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$5.04 MMK 10.6K

264.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.92 MMK 8,215

25.51%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$490 MMK 1.0M

-59.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$9,171 MMK 19.2M

-43.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$38.54 MMK 80.7K

-6.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$36.20 MMK 75.8K

10.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$24.39 MMK 51.1K

254.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$252 MMK 528.5K

287.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$120 MMK 251.3K

291.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$604 MMK 1.3M

173.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$246 MMK 515.1K

389.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$802 MMK 1.7M

392.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$496 MMK 1.0M

1231.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mawlamyine: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $252 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 101% 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $942 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $628 in Mawlamyine. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 92% 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 $628, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $628 versus $1,260 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.