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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $637 in Mawlamyine, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $929 in Mawlamyine, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,221 in Mawlamyine, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 102% more than Mawlamyine, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mawlamyine are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Mawlamyine 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$1.99 MMK 4,177

500.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.96 MMK 10.4K

113.51%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$0.98 MMK 2,056

269.39%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.49 MMK 1,025

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.54 MMK 3,236

189.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.87 MMK 1,821

64.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.52 MMK 1,090

261.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.95 MMK 6,200

-10.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.16 MMK 17.1K

0.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.12 MMK 4,446

291.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$3.73 MMK 7,839

197.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.60 MMK 3,363

65.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.93 MMK 1,942

61.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.76 MMK 3,697

13.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.75 MMK 5,763

-24.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.52 MMK 3,186

17.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.34 MMK 704

541.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.51 MMK 3,163

-28.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.22 MMK 463

372.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.22 MMK 2,552

41.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.79 MMK 3,752

39.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.37 MMK 786

40.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.98 MMK 4,146

58.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.53 MMK 5,312

-5.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.70 MMK 3,569

-25.29%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$49.5K MMK 103.8M

-37.56%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$35.0K MMK 73.4M

-33.34%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$73.7 MMK 154.6K

11.34%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$24.55 MMK 51.5K

-8.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$49.58 MMK 104.1K

-40.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$122 MMK 255.7K

-57.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$4.98 MMK 10.4K

274.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.03 MMK 8,449

23.33%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$507 MMK 1.1M

-61.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$8,966 MMK 18.8M

-41.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$39.39 MMK 82.7K

-7.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$36.35 MMK 76.3K

10.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$23.74 MMK 49.8K

274.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$246 MMK 516.6K

291.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$118 MMK 247.8K

293.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$598 MMK 1.3M

167.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$253 MMK 530.9K

377.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$790 MMK 1.7M

398.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$505 MMK 1.1M

1175.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mawlamyine: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $246 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 102% 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $956 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $637 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 $637, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $637 versus $1,287 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.