Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Setia Alam Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Setia Alam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $918 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,395 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,872 in Setia Alam, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 37% more than Setia Alam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Setia Alam are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Setia Alam 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.58 MYR 18.74

161.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$23.80 MYR 97.4

75.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.68 MYR 19.15

129.70%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.98 MYR 12.20

17.45%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.84 MYR 3.42

72.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.37 MYR 1.50

137.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$4.33 MYR 17.70

-31.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$6.02 MYR 24.63

-25.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.75 MYR 7.15

-18.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.70 MYR 2.86

162.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.98 MYR 4.02

60.20%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.65 MYR 6.75

52.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$4.78 MYR 19.56

73.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.99 MYR 16.33

111.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$9.52 MYR 38.95

12.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.33 MYR 5.44

96.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.57 MYR 6.42

-8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.34 MYR 5.46

46.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.39 MYR 5.68

50.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.22 MYR 5.00

51.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.33 MYR 5.42

63.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.57 MYR 2.34

80.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.53 MYR 2.17

101.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.21 MYR 17.23

-2.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$19.11 MYR 78.2

-46.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$3.21 MYR 13.14

-47.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$4.21 MYR 17.24

-39.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.73 MYR 2.98

-30.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$11.72 MYR 47.92

122.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.17 MYR 4.78

176.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.10 MYR 4.51

119.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.62 MYR 18.89

-30.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.50 MYR 2.05

164.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$40.6K MYR 166.0K

-26.84%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$32.2K MYR 131.6K

-26.48%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$59.1 MYR 242

38.84%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$10.73 MYR 43.87

113.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$25.60 MYR 105

17.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$54.8 MYR 224

-5.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$2.38 MYR 9.73

678.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.04 MYR 20.62

-1.19%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$196 MYR 800

0.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$9,524 MYR 39.0K

-43.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$59.7 MYR 244

-40.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$24.82 MYR 102

62.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$86.1 MYR 352

-8.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$53.8 MYR 220

65.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$495 MYR 2,026

91.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$305 MYR 1,247

55.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$837 MYR 3,422

96.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$534 MYR 2,185

126.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,029 MYR 8,300

99.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,175 MYR 4,806

450.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,149 MYR 4,698

-43.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.12

177.18%

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 Setia Alam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $495 in Setia Alam. 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 76% higher in Setia Alam, 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 $24.00 in Setia Alam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $204 – making Setia Alam 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 Setia Alam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 37%, 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 $1,377 in Setia Alam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Setia Alam, 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 $918 in Setia Alam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Setia Alam, where all-in costs run around $918, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Setia Alam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Setia Alam – 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 Setia Alam. 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.