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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $796 in Seremban, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,237 in Seremban, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,679 in Seremban, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 58% more than Seremban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Seremban are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Seremban 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$2.88 MYR 11.79

316.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$18.95 MYR 77.5

120.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$3.52 MYR 14.40

205.40%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.81 MYR 11.50

24.56%

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

$0.45 MYR 1.86

95.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.48 MYR 14.21

-15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$6.61 MYR 27.04

-31.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.71 MYR 6.98

-16.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.95 MYR 3.87

93.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.30 MYR 5.32

20.77%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.82 MYR 7.45

37.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$15.01 MYR 61.4

-44.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.95 MYR 16.16

113.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.45 MYR 34.56

26.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.63 MYR 14.86

-28.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.20 MYR 4.92

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.53 MYR 10.33

-22.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.68 MYR 6.86

24.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.04 MYR 4.26

77.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.32 MYR 5.40

64.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.32 MYR 5.38

-21.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.56 MYR 2.28

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.25 MYR 17.39

-3.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$13.94 MYR 57.0

-27.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.74 MYR 11.19

-38.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$4.29 MYR 17.55

-41.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.14 MYR 4.68

-55.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$11.73 MYR 47.97

121.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.72 MYR 2.95

348.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.94 MYR 3.82

156.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.57 MYR 18.70

-29.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.46 MYR 1.89

186.96%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$49.4K MYR 201.8K

-39.83%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$32.3K MYR 132.1K

-26.75%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$36.95 MYR 151

121.95%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$8.92 MYR 36.48

157.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$25.73 MYR 105

17.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$56.3 MYR 230

-7.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$5.81 MYR 23.78

218.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.11 MYR 16.83

21.17%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$187 MYR 766

5.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$4,406 MYR 18.0K

21.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$66.0 MYR 270

-46.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$18.87 MYR 77.2

113.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$71.8 MYR 294

9.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$40.37 MYR 165

120.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$264 MYR 1,080

258.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$188 MYR 768

152.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$429 MYR 1,753

283.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$352 MYR 1,438

244.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$798 MYR 3,264

-18.05%

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 Seremban: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $264 in Seremban. 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 22% higher in Seremban, 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 Seremban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $241 – making Seremban 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 Seremban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 58%, 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 $1,194 in Seremban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seremban, 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 $796 in Seremban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 122% less in Seremban. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Seremban, where all-in costs run around $796, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Seremban it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Seremban – 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 Seremban. 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.