Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Rawang Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Rawang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $737 in Rawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,202 in Rawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,666 in Rawang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 77% more than Rawang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rawang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Rawang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.66 MYR 14.89

226.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$19.88 MYR 80.9

138.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$5.01 MYR 20.36

134.53%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.96 MYR 12.02

39.19%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.85 MYR 3.44

64.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.36 MYR 1.48

152.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$4.16 MYR 16.91

-22.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.38 MYR 17.82

61.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.84 MYR 7.51

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.11 MYR 4.52

93.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.71 MYR 6.95

3.51%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.13 MYR 8.68

32.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$16.09 MYR 65.5

-42.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.99 MYR 20.31

84.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$9.73 MYR 39.56

29.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.99 MYR 12.16

-1.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.93 MYR 7.84

-18.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.51 MYR 10.21

-11.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.53 MYR 6.21

54.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.32 MYR 5.36

50.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.40 MYR 5.68

41.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.18 MYR 4.79

5.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.57 MYR 2.33

112.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$4.43 MYR 18.04

3.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$19.09 MYR 77.7

-44.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$3.02 MYR 12.30

-44.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$4.16 MYR 16.93

-33.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.71 MYR 2.89

-15.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$12.22 MYR 49.72

143.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.72 MYR 7.01

204.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.41 MYR 1.68

790.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$6.92 MYR 28.16

-16.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.81 MYR 3.31

90.12%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$42.4K MYR 172.3K

-46.16%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$34.7K MYR 141.1K

-25.58%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$38.27 MYR 156

136.92%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$9.99 MYR 40.62

152.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$30.48 MYR 124

4.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$40.42 MYR 164

70.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$6.55 MYR 26.64

348.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$5.54 MYR 22.55

-12.27%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$308 MYR 1,252

-26.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$10.9K MYR 44.4K

-61.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$61.7 MYR 251

-23.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$35.16 MYR 143

23.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$85.3 MYR 347

-5.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$70.4 MYR 286

29.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$143 MYR 580

661.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$104 MYR 422

294.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$594 MYR 2,415

232.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$239 MYR 974

435.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,056 MYR 8,366

96.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,114 MYR 4,530

502.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,018 MYR 4,143

-24.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.24

170.05%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Rawang: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $143 in Rawang. 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 32% higher in Rawang, 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 $20.00 in Rawang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $271 – making Rawang 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 Rawang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 77%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,105 in Rawang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rawang, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $737 in Rawang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 143% less in Rawang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rawang, where all-in costs run around $737, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Rawang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rawang – 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 Rawang. 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.