Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Putra Heights Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Putra Heights

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $950 in Putra Heights, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,391 in Putra Heights, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,832 in Putra Heights, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 33% more than Putra Heights, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Putra Heights are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Putra Heights 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$3.65 MYR 14.95

217.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$21.70 MYR 88.8

117.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$4.93 MYR 20.19

140.97%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.86 MYR 11.70

39.16%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.84 MYR 3.46

70.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.44 MYR 1.81

86.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$4.45 MYR 18.21

-28.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$6.11 MYR 25.02

11.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.76 MYR 7.22

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.07 MYR 4.38

105.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.44 MYR 5.90

18.75%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$1.74 MYR 7.12

57.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$15.73 MYR 64.4

-39.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.53 MYR 18.56

98.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$9.58 MYR 39.20

33.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.45 MYR 14.13

-16.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.67 MYR 6.83

-10.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$2.41 MYR 9.87

-10.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.60 MYR 6.55

41.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.36 MYR 5.59

45.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.44 MYR 5.89

38.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$1.17 MYR 4.77

5.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.51 MYR 2.11

135.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$4.31 MYR 17.66

5.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$13.99 MYR 57.3

-25.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$2.98 MYR 12.21

-45.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$2.99 MYR 12.25

-3.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.72 MYR 2.95

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$12.09 MYR 49.49

138.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.26 MYR 5.16

327.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$0.78 MYR 3.17

378.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$4.96 MYR 20.30

16.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$0.82 MYR 3.35

87.80%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$42.4K MYR 173.4K

-46.79%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$35.0K MYR 143.4K

-25.64%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$65.1 MYR 266

40.43%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$9.41 MYR 38.52

167.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$26.20 MYR 107

19.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$41.09 MYR 168

63.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$7.58 MYR 31.02

284.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$5.39 MYR 22.08

-9.83%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$165 MYR 676

35.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$5,404 MYR 22.1K

-21.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$65.5 MYR 268

-28.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$16.47 MYR 67.4

168.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$82.1 MYR 336

-2.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$40.65 MYR 166

127.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$408 MYR 1,669

160.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$319 MYR 1,307

22.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$673 MYR 2,753

219.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$483 MYR 1,975

163.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$1,986 MYR 8,129

101.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,234 MYR 5,051

426.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$1,103 MYR 4,514

-31.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.06

182.02%

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 Putra Heights: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $408 in Putra Heights. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 45% higher in Putra Heights, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in Putra Heights. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $251 – making Putra Heights the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Putra Heights: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,424 in Putra Heights. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Putra Heights, 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 $950 in Putra Heights. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 138% less in Putra Heights. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Putra Heights, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Putra Heights it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Putra Heights – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Putra Heights. 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.