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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $852 in Rawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,310 in Rawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,768 in Rawang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 52% more than Rawang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rawang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Rawang 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.04 MYR 12.05

285.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$21.02 MYR 83.4

98.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.28 MYR 16.99

148.60%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.82 MYR 11.20

24.82%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.91 MYR 3.60

65.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.34 MYR 1.35

185.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$4.17 MYR 16.55

-29.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.31 MYR 17.10

3.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.84 MYR 7.28

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.03 MYR 4.08

83.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.72 MYR 6.81

-4.65%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.05 MYR 8.11

22.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$14.67 MYR 58.2

-43.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.59 MYR 18.22

81.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.40 MYR 37.29

14.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.86 MYR 11.35

-9.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.50 MYR 5.95

-2.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.71 MYR 10.75

-29.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.46 MYR 5.77

42.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.14 MYR 4.54

56.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.16 MYR 4.62

88.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.92 MYR 3.64

13.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.49 MYR 1.93

120.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.33 MYR 17.18

-5.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$19.73 MYR 78.2

-47.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.68 MYR 10.64

-36.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.36 MYR 13.31

-23.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.69 MYR 2.72

-26.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$11.68 MYR 46.30

126.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.73 MYR 2.91

346.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.51 MYR 2.00

388.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$4.59 MYR 18.19

-29.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.51 MYR 2.01

156.86%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$33.9K MYR 134.3K

-10.63%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$27.2K MYR 108.0K

-13.99%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$37.94 MYR 150

118.42%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$10.01 MYR 39.71

121.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$25.40 MYR 101

15.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$37.31 MYR 148

38.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$5.79 MYR 22.95

216.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.87 MYR 19.30

4.11%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$235 MYR 934

-14.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,161 MYR 24.4K

-15.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$55.6 MYR 220

-33.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$29.12 MYR 115

36.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$60.4 MYR 240

29.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$51.9 MYR 206

67.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$380 MYR 1,506

156.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$271 MYR 1,076

72.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$635 MYR 2,516

158.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$480 MYR 1,903

154.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,013 MYR 7,981

96.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$962 MYR 3,814

575.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,232 MYR 4,886

-46.12%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Rawang: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $380 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 86% 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 $255 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 52%, 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 $1,279 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $852 in Rawang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 127% 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 $852, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.