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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $820 in Miri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,253 in Miri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,686 in Miri.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 54% more expensive than in Miri, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Miri 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.59 MYR 14.66

223.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$12.47 MYR 50.9

277.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.65 MYR 18.99

155.48%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.38 MYR 9.73

67.23%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.85 MYR 3.46

68.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.28 MYR 1.13

192.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.98 MYR 12.16

7.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.86 MYR 15.75

75.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.43 MYR 5.83

17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.89 MYR 7.73

16.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.01 MYR 4.14

69.31%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$3.55 MYR 14.48

-22.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.82 MYR 19.69

86.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$14.88 MYR 60.7

-13.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.96 MYR 7.99

-23.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.36 MYR 1.45

233.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.47 MYR 18.26

1.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$19.69 MYR 80.4

-47.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$3.04 MYR 12.40

-46.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.32 MYR 9.49

24.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.50 MYR 2.05

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$14.52 MYR 59.3

98.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.19 MYR 4.87

352.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.60 MYR 2.44

521.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$6.17 MYR 25.18

-6.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.60 MYR 2.44

156.67%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$50.2K MYR 204.8K

-55.06%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$33.6K MYR 137.0K

-22.35%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$50.2 MYR 205

81.96%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$9.62 MYR 39.26

161.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$32.89 MYR 134

-5.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$29.83 MYR 122

125.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$6.09 MYR 24.87

378.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.53 MYR 18.50

7.28%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$102 MYR 415

120.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$6,506 MYR 26.6K

-35.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$44.24 MYR 181

6.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$22.85 MYR 93.3

93.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$56.7 MYR 231

41.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$42.85 MYR 175

116.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$340 MYR 1,388

212.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$286 MYR 1,168

36.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$596 MYR 2,431

260.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$581 MYR 2,370

119.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,224 MYR 4,999

226.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$672 MYR 2,744

867.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$689 MYR 2,811

10.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.12

177.91%

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 Miri: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $340 in Miri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Miri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $195 per month, with Miri cheaper across the board.

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 Miri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Miri is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $340 in Miri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Miri – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $820 in Miri – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $820 in Miri versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Miri but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Miri the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Miri is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Miri are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Miri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.