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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $888 in Putra Heights, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,341 in Putra Heights, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,794 in Putra Heights, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 46% 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 3% lower, Putra Heights 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.64 MYR 14.51

222.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$19.10 MYR 76.2

117.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.60 MYR 18.36

131.30%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.01 MYR 12.02

16.94%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.83 MYR 3.32

81.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.45 MYR 1.81

115.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$4.20 MYR 16.74

-29.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$5.81 MYR 23.18

-23.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.80 MYR 7.20

-23.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.98 MYR 3.91

92.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.23 MYR 4.92

33.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.82 MYR 7.26

37.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$14.43 MYR 57.6

-42.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.75 MYR 18.94

75.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.40 MYR 37.52

14.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.95 MYR 11.76

-11.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.53 MYR 6.12

-4.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.64 MYR 10.53

-28.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.48 MYR 5.89

40.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.23 MYR 4.92

44.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.34 MYR 5.36

63.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.16 MYR 4.62

-10.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.53 MYR 2.10

103.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.12 MYR 16.46

-0.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$14.41 MYR 57.5

-28.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.88 MYR 11.50

-40.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.89 MYR 11.53

-10.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.73 MYR 2.93

-30.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$11.83 MYR 47.19

123.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.15 MYR 4.60

183.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.98 MYR 3.92

154.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$4.84 MYR 19.30

-32.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.49 MYR 1.96

167.35%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$35.6K MYR 142.0K

-14.93%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$32.4K MYR 129.4K

-27.74%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$63.4 MYR 253

30.71%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$9.10 MYR 36.31

144.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$25.15 MYR 100

16.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$36.34 MYR 145

42.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$5.75 MYR 22.94

218.61%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$5.26 MYR 20.98

-3.61%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$191 MYR 763

5.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$6,843 MYR 27.3K

-23.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$60.2 MYR 240

-38.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$19.06 MYR 76.1

108.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$74.0 MYR 295

6.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$40.20 MYR 160

116.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$382 MYR 1,525

154.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$266 MYR 1,061

75.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$638 MYR 2,547

157.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$467 MYR 1,862

161.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,696 MYR 6,766

132.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$880 MYR 3,513

638.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,141 MYR 4,552

-41.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.07

180.59%

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 Putra Heights: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $382 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 72% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Putra Heights. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $244 – 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 46%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,331 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $888 in Putra Heights. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 124% 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 $888, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.