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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $699 in Miri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,090 in Miri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,482 in Miri.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 80% more expensive than in Miri, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Miri 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.27 MYR 13.38

266.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$11.59 MYR 47.40

260.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.86 MYR 15.80

178.50%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.63 MYR 10.77

33.08%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.72 MYR 2.93

101.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.33 MYR 1.36

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.88 MYR 11.79

2.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.78 MYR 15.47

19.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.37 MYR 5.61

4.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.41 MYR 5.75

30.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.79 MYR 3.22

98.73%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.38 MYR 13.81

-25.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$10.91 MYR 44.62

-24.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.57 MYR 18.68

84.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.78 MYR 48.19

-9.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.13 MYR 12.81

-16.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.14 MYR 4.67

26.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.37 MYR 9.71

-17.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.38 MYR 5.64

51.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.58 MYR 2.39

218.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.91 MYR 3.74

138.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.98 MYR 4.00

5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.34 MYR 1.38

214.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.11 MYR 16.82

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$20.01 MYR 81.8

-49.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.99 MYR 12.23

-43.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.30 MYR 9.42

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.42 MYR 5.79

-64.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$8.66 MYR 35.42

200.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.15 MYR 4.72

180.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.76 MYR 3.12

217.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.80 MYR 23.73

-44.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.46 MYR 1.88

186.96%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$57.9K MYR 236.6K

-48.68%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$28.1K MYR 114.9K

-15.78%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$30.68 MYR 125

167.31%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.45 MYR 38.66

142.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$32.82 MYR 134

-8.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$28.65 MYR 117

81.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$6.05 MYR 24.75

206.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.14 MYR 16.92

20.29%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$98.0 MYR 401

101.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$5,147 MYR 21.1K

3.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$35.09 MYR 144

1.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$19.12 MYR 78.2

110.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$44.72 MYR 183

76.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$31.45 MYR 129

182.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$317 MYR 1,298

198.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$164 MYR 670

189.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$491 MYR 2,010

234.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$376 MYR 1,538

222.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,206 MYR 4,932

236.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$681 MYR 2,784

850.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$686 MYR 2,807

-4.71%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Miri: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $317 in Miri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Miri pays 5% 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 $245 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 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Miri. 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $317 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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $699 in Miri – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $699 in Miri versus $1,256 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 80% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.