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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $641 in Mawlamyine, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $941 in Mawlamyine, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,240 in Mawlamyine, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 98% more than Mawlamyine, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mawlamyine are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Mawlamyine 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$1.97 MMK 4,118

488.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.07 MMK 10.6K

134.32%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$1.03 MMK 2,152

286.41%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.51 MMK 1,072

180.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.51 MMK 3,171

349.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$0.87 MMK 1,819

93.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.52 MMK 1,096

323.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$3.02 MMK 6,319

-9.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.52 MMK 17.8K

12.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$2.11 MMK 4,422

327.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$3.87 MMK 8,106

231.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.61 MMK 3,372

79.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$0.92 MMK 1,926

63.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.71 MMK 3,577

25.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$2.70 MMK 5,659

-16.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.53 MMK 3,211

29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.36 MMK 756

452.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.54 MMK 3,219

-20.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.20 MMK 415

500.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.21 MMK 2,534

33.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$1.81 MMK 3,790

59.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$1.53 MMK 3,212

-60.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$2.01 MMK 4,214

168.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$2.48 MMK 5,198

50.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.73 MMK 3,630

-10.98%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$50.5K MMK 105.7M

-55.32%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$35.4K MMK 74.1M

-26.33%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$74.4 MMK 155.8K

22.81%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$25.33 MMK 53.0K

-0.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$50.3 MMK 105.2K

-37.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$121 MMK 254.1K

-44.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$5.04 MMK 10.6K

477.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$9.96 MMK 20.9K

-51.20%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$505 MMK 1.1M

-55.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$9,146 MMK 19.1M

-53.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$39.54 MMK 82.8K

19.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$35.94 MMK 75.3K

23.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$23.62 MMK 49.5K

292.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$249 MMK 522.1K

326.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$119 MMK 249.7K

227.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$605 MMK 1.3M

255.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$246 MMK 514.3K

417.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$786 MMK 1.6M

408.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$495 MMK 1.0M

1214.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

129.00%

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 Mawlamyine: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $249 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 98% 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $961 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $641 in Mawlamyine. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 110% 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 $641, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $641 versus $1,266 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.