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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $682 in Miri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,091 in Miri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,499 in Miri.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 90% more expensive than Miri, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Miri 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.22 MYR 12.78

264.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$11.73 MYR 46.49

254.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.02 MYR 15.94

164.68%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.68 MYR 10.61

31.34%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.70 MYR 2.76

115.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.36 MYR 1.45

169.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.89 MYR 11.45

2.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.70 MYR 14.66

20.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.35 MYR 5.37

2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.45 MYR 5.73

30.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.80 MYR 3.18

105.00%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$3.27 MYR 12.97

-23.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.01 MYR 43.64

-24.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.80 MYR 19.05

73.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$12.04 MYR 47.72

-10.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$3.16 MYR 12.53

-17.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.19 MYR 4.73

22.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.26 MYR 8.97

-15.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.38 MYR 5.49

50.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.59 MYR 2.35

201.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.90 MYR 3.57

143.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.91 MYR 3.61

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.33 MYR 1.33

227.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.23 MYR 16.77

-3.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$20.47 MYR 81.2

-49.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$3.03 MYR 12.02

-43.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.27 MYR 8.98

13.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.36 MYR 5.41

-62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$8.72 MYR 34.59

203.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.20 MYR 4.77

171.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.75 MYR 2.97

232.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.76 MYR 22.85

-43.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.46 MYR 1.83

184.78%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$57.9K MYR 229.7K

-47.74%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$28.2K MYR 111.8K

-16.91%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$30.45 MYR 121

172.15%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$9.34 MYR 37.04

137.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$32.20 MYR 128

-8.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$28.52 MYR 113

81.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$5.75 MYR 22.79

218.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.17 MYR 16.53

21.58%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$97.6 MYR 387

105.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$5,240 MYR 20.8K

-0.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$35.09 MYR 139

5.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$19.06 MYR 75.6

108.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$44.89 MYR 178

74.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$31.98 MYR 127

172.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$311 MYR 1,231

213.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$165 MYR 656

182.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$494 MYR 1,961

231.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$379 MYR 1,501

222.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,286 MYR 5,100

206.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$697 MYR 2,765

831.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$767 MYR 3,041

-13.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.63

214.60%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Miri: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $311 in Miri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miri pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Miri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $248 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 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Miri earns 16% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $311 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $682 in Miri – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $682 in Miri versus $1,297 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 90% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.