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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $771 in Seremban, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,194 in Seremban, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,617 in Seremban, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 68% more than Seremban, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Seremban are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Seremban 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.91 MYR 11.63

303.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$18.56 MYR 74.0

124.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.51 MYR 14.00

203.13%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.67 MYR 10.66

31.84%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.83 MYR 3.31

81.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.46 MYR 1.82

110.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$3.53 MYR 14.07

-16.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$6.67 MYR 26.60

-33.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.75 MYR 6.99

-21.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.94 MYR 3.76

101.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.23 MYR 4.92

33.33%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.86 MYR 7.44

34.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$15.08 MYR 60.2

-44.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.12 MYR 16.45

102.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.33 MYR 33.23

28.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$3.61 MYR 14.40

-27.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.21 MYR 4.82

20.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.62 MYR 10.47

-27.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.70 MYR 6.78

22.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.08 MYR 4.29

64.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.31 MYR 5.23

67.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.29 MYR 5.13

-19.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.56 MYR 2.25

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.30 MYR 17.16

-5.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$14.38 MYR 57.4

-28.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.76 MYR 11.00

-38.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$4.20 MYR 16.77

-38.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.10 MYR 4.39

-53.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$12.00 MYR 47.89

120.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.73 MYR 2.90

346.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.88 MYR 3.51

182.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$4.62 MYR 18.44

-29.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.46 MYR 1.85

184.78%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$49.2K MYR 196.2K

-38.44%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$33.4K MYR 133.2K

-29.82%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$37.92 MYR 151

118.54%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$8.98 MYR 35.84

147.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$25.83 MYR 103

13.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$56.6 MYR 226

-8.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$5.99 MYR 23.90

205.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$4.13 MYR 16.49

22.76%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$187 MYR 744

7.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$4,509 MYR 18.0K

15.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$66.1 MYR 264

-44.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$18.81 MYR 75.0

111.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$73.9 MYR 295

6.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$39.69 MYR 158

119.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$260 MYR 1,038

273.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$186 MYR 741

151.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$430 MYR 1,717

281.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$349 MYR 1,393

249.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$837 MYR 3,339

-20.66%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Seremban: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $260 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 26% 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 $243 – 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 68%, 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 $1,156 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $771 in Seremban. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 121% 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 $771, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.