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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $851 in Rawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,316 in Rawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,782 in Rawang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% more than Rawang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rawang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Rawang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.01 MYR 12.30

298.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$20.97 MYR 85.8

99.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.26 MYR 17.41

152.35%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.86 MYR 11.69

22.38%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.86 MYR 3.51

68.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.33 MYR 1.37

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$4.32 MYR 17.66

-31.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$4.29 MYR 17.56

5.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.83 MYR 7.47

-21.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.99 MYR 4.03

85.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.65 MYR 6.75

-4.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.15 MYR 8.79

16.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$14.50 MYR 59.3

-42.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.62 MYR 18.88

82.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$9.47 MYR 38.73

12.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.78 MYR 11.36

-6.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.44 MYR 5.88

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.58 MYR 10.55

-24.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.45 MYR 5.93

44.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.19 MYR 4.85

55.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.17 MYR 4.77

85.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.89 MYR 3.66

15.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.48 MYR 1.97

122.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.17 MYR 17.06

-1.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$18.87 MYR 77.2

-46.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.71 MYR 11.10

-38.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.53 MYR 14.45

-28.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.69 MYR 2.84

-26.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$11.60 MYR 47.42

124.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.74 MYR 3.04

336.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.54 MYR 2.22

346.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.64 MYR 18.96

-30.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.50 MYR 2.06

164.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$33.4K MYR 136.7K

-11.17%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$27.2K MYR 111.3K

-13.05%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$38.80 MYR 159

111.37%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.99 MYR 40.86

129.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$26.14 MYR 107

15.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$37.59 MYR 154

38.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$5.74 MYR 23.49

222.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.86 MYR 19.90

2.47%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$234 MYR 958

-15.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$6,231 MYR 25.5K

-14.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$54.4 MYR 222

-34.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$28.83 MYR 118

39.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$61.2 MYR 250

28.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$51.9 MYR 212

71.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$381 MYR 1,559

148.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$264 MYR 1,082

79.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$649 MYR 2,655

153.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$470 MYR 1,922

157.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,052 MYR 8,395

97.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,134 MYR 4,639

470.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,195 MYR 4,887

-45.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.16

174.52%

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 Rawang: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $381 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 83% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $21.00 in Rawang. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $252 in Rawang – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 48%, 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 $1,277 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $851 in Rawang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 124% 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 $851, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.