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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $796 in Seremban, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,280 in Seremban, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,763 in Seremban, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 62% 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 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.75 MYR 15.15

212.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$22.09 MYR 89.3

110.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$3.81 MYR 15.41

205.77%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.88 MYR 11.63

42.01%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.84 MYR 3.39

63.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.46 MYR 1.84

80.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$3.66 MYR 14.78

-8.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$4.85 MYR 19.62

42.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$1.77 MYR 7.15

-2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$1.07 MYR 4.33

111.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$1.50 MYR 6.08

18.00%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$1.70 MYR 6.89

60.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$18.50 MYR 74.8

-50.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$4.50 MYR 18.17

98.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$10.36 MYR 41.85

21.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$3.44 MYR 13.89

-12.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$1.31 MYR 5.28

19.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$4.75 MYR 19.18

-55.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$1.38 MYR 5.60

63.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$1.04 MYR 4.20

92.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$1.20 MYR 4.86

71.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.23 MYR 4.96

-4.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.52 MYR 2.08

130.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$4.43 MYR 17.89

4.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$14.37 MYR 58.1

-25.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$2.95 MYR 11.94

-45.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$3.12 MYR 12.61

-7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.25 MYR 5.05

-54.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$24.58 MYR 99.3

21.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$0.71 MYR 2.85

667.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.71 MYR 2.85

421.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$10.10 MYR 40.81

-40.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$0.61 MYR 2.45

154.10%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$41.8K MYR 168.9K

-46.59%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$35.5K MYR 143.5K

-26.91%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$45.50 MYR 184

95.89%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$10.82 MYR 43.74

131.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$29.27 MYR 118

7.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$66.3 MYR 268

2.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$4.33 MYR 17.51

16.63%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$184 MYR 745

22.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$4,510 MYR 18.2K

-6.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$49.68 MYR 201

-4.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$36.48 MYR 147

23.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$81.1 MYR 328

1.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$87.7 MYR 354

5.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$184 MYR 744

481.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$122 MYR 491

233.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$306 MYR 1,236

532.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$254 MYR 1,028

411.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$799 MYR 3,230

-6.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.06

182.02%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Seremban: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $184 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 7% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in Seremban. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $268 – 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 62%, 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 $1,940 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 $1,293 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 21% 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 $1,293. 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.