Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Seri Iskandar Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Seri Iskandar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $691 in Seri Iskandar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $897 in Seri Iskandar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,102 in Seri Iskandar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 86% more than Seri Iskandar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Seri Iskandar are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Seri Iskandar 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.74 MYR 10.81

335.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$28.30 MYR 112

51.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.51 MYR 17.81

134.81%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$0.90 MYR 3.57

302.22%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.51 MYR 2.01

188.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.25 MYR 0.98

276.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.80 MYR 11.05

10.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.48 MYR 13.76

28.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.56 MYR 6.16

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.92 MYR 3.64

104.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.45 MYR 1.78

262.22%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.93 MYR 7.60

36.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$5.15 MYR 20.36

59.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$1.85 MYR 7.31

348.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$4.28 MYR 16.93

159.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.18 MYR 8.60

21.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.56 MYR 6.16

-3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.87 MYR 7.40

6.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.89 MYR 3.53

133.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.58 MYR 2.28

208.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.93 MYR 3.66

134.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.99 MYR 3.89

9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.57 MYR 2.24

82.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.16 MYR 16.44

-4.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.64 MYR 30.17

33.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.30 MYR 9.10

-24.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.63 MYR 14.33

-31.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$1.07 MYR 4.23

-51.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$11.59 MYR 45.77

132.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.98 MYR 3.86

220.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.15 MYR 4.55

108.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.77 MYR 18.84

-35.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.47 MYR 1.85

170.21%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$19.0K MYR 74.9K

62.77%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$19.0K MYR 75.2K

22.48%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$65.6 MYR 259

24.94%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$9.67 MYR 38.22

132.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$15.71 MYR 62.1

88.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$13.13 MYR 51.9

295.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$6.06 MYR 23.95

208.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.64 MYR 14.39

36.54%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$168 MYR 662

17.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$9,320 MYR 36.8K

-43.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$16.37 MYR 64.7

121.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$8.23 MYR 32.49

386.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$58.4 MYR 231

36.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$35.07 MYR 139

153.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$390 MYR 1,539

147.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$267 MYR 1,054

74.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$652 MYR 2,575

144.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$154 MYR 606

687.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,937 MYR 7,653

103.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$965 MYR 3,810

568.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$375 MYR 1,481

92.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

471.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Seri Iskandar: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $390 in Seri Iskandar. 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 92% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Seri Iskandar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $152 – making Seri Iskandar 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 Seri Iskandar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 86%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,037 in Seri Iskandar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seri Iskandar, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $691 in Seri Iskandar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 133% less in Seri Iskandar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seri Iskandar, where all-in costs run around $691, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Seri Iskandar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Seri Iskandar – 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 Seri Iskandar. 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.