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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,008 in Selangor, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,449 in Selangor, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,890 in Selangor, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 29% more than Selangor, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Selangor are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Selangor 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.56 MYR 10.16

358.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$23.14 MYR 91.7

79.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.74 MYR 14.84

184.49%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.23 MYR 8.83

57.85%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.77 MYR 3.06

96.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.33 MYR 1.32

193.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$4.19 MYR 16.62

-29.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$5.33 MYR 21.15

-16.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.83 MYR 7.26

-24.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.01 MYR 4.00

87.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.45 MYR 5.74

13.10%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.83 MYR 7.24

37.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$14.43 MYR 57.2

-42.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.66 MYR 18.46

78.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.83 MYR 38.98

9.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.87 MYR 11.37

-9.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.64 MYR 6.52

-10.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.69 MYR 10.65

-29.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.51 MYR 5.98

37.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.27 MYR 5.03

40.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.99 MYR 3.93

121.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.08 MYR 4.28

-3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.54 MYR 2.15

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.32 MYR 17.12

-5.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$19.54 MYR 77.5

-47.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$3.37 MYR 13.35

-49.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$4.26 MYR 16.88

-39.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.74 MYR 2.94

-31.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$11.61 MYR 46.04

127.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.21 MYR 4.79

169.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.10 MYR 4.38

126.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$4.38 MYR 17.39

-25.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.46 MYR 1.84

184.78%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$39.3K MYR 155.8K

-22.95%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$31.9K MYR 126.5K

-26.56%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$65.4 MYR 259

26.67%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$9.48 MYR 37.59

134.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$25.69 MYR 102

14.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$38.55 MYR 153

33.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$7.29 MYR 28.90

151.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$5.20 MYR 20.62

-2.50%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$117 MYR 462

72.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,384 MYR 17.4K

18.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$59.8 MYR 237

-38.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$36.96 MYR 147

7.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$75.1 MYR 298

4.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$78.9 MYR 313

10.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$441 MYR 1,749

120.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$348 MYR 1,379

34.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$849 MYR 3,365

93.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$472 MYR 1,871

158.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,659 MYR 6,577

137.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$726 MYR 2,878

795.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,004 MYR 3,980

-33.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.96

188.38%

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 Selangor: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $441 in Selangor. 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 51% higher in Selangor, 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 $23.00 in Selangor. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $261 in Selangor – 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 Selangor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 29%, 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 $1,511 in Selangor. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Selangor, 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 $1,008 in Selangor. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 128% less in Selangor. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Selangor, where all-in costs run around $1,008, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Selangor it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Selangor – 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 Selangor. 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.