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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $867 in Putra Heights, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,321 in Putra Heights, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,775 in Putra Heights, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 45% 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 6% lower, Putra Heights 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.56 MYR 14.58

236.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$19.18 MYR 78.4

117.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.65 MYR 19.01

131.18%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.98 MYR 12.19

17.45%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.85 MYR 3.47

70.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.48 MYR 1.98

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$4.31 MYR 17.64

-31.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$5.81 MYR 23.77

-22.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.89 MYR 7.72

-24.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.93 MYR 3.81

97.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.23 MYR 5.04

27.64%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.80 MYR 7.36

39.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$14.77 MYR 60.4

-43.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.59 MYR 18.79

83.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$9.54 MYR 39.02

11.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.90 MYR 11.88

-10.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.45 MYR 5.91

-0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.62 MYR 10.73

-25.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.47 MYR 6.02

42.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.29 MYR 5.26

43.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.35 MYR 5.51

60.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.22 MYR 4.97

-15.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.52 MYR 2.13

105.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.15 MYR 16.99

-1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$13.95 MYR 57.1

-27.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.77 MYR 11.31

-39.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.03 MYR 12.40

-16.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.68 MYR 2.79

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$11.92 MYR 48.74

118.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.20 MYR 4.90

169.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.04 MYR 4.24

131.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.74 MYR 19.39

-31.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.50 MYR 2.05

164.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$35.8K MYR 146.6K

-17.15%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$32.3K MYR 132.2K

-26.78%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$64.7 MYR 264

26.83%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.17 MYR 37.51

150.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$25.17 MYR 103

19.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$37.24 MYR 152

39.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$6.06 MYR 24.79

205.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.33 MYR 21.81

-6.57%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$185 MYR 756

6.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$7,020 MYR 28.7K

-23.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$61.6 MYR 252

-42.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$19.22 MYR 78.6

109.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$74.0 MYR 303

6.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$39.48 MYR 161

125.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$387 MYR 1,582

144.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$274 MYR 1,121

72.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$656 MYR 2,682

150.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$473 MYR 1,933

156.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,251 MYR 9,207

80.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,256 MYR 5,137

415.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,109 MYR 4,536

-41.04%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Putra Heights: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $387 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 70% 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 $243 – 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 45%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,301 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $867 in Putra Heights. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 118% 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 $867, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.