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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $973 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,443 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,913 in Setia Alam, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 30% 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 7% lower, Setia Alam 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$5.06 MYR 20.64

129.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$24.14 MYR 98.5

95.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.01 MYR 20.46

137.13%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.08 MYR 12.59

29.22%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.81 MYR 3.32

76.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.44 MYR 1.79

86.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$4.46 MYR 18.21

-28.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$6.07 MYR 24.77

11.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.87 MYR 7.61

-10.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.70 MYR 2.87

214.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.06 MYR 4.32

61.32%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.81 MYR 7.39

51.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$4.94 MYR 20.16

93.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.23 MYR 17.28

113.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$9.66 MYR 39.42

32.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.34 MYR 5.46

115.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.94 MYR 7.90

-22.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.37 MYR 5.60

56.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.50 MYR 6.11

50.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.30 MYR 5.32

52.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.32 MYR 5.40

50.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.64 MYR 2.59

92.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.56 MYR 2.29

114.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.45 MYR 18.18

2.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$18.82 MYR 76.8

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$3.45 MYR 14.08

-53.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$4.94 MYR 20.17

-41.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.77 MYR 3.15

-22.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$12.46 MYR 50.9

131.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.25 MYR 5.11

331.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.50 MYR 2.03

646.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$5.04 MYR 20.57

14.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.64 MYR 2.63

140.63%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$42.5K MYR 173.4K

-46.92%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$35.3K MYR 144.2K

-26.22%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$61.6 MYR 251

48.46%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$9.48 MYR 38.70

165.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$26.31 MYR 107

18.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$58.3 MYR 238

15.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$6.42 MYR 26.19

353.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.34 MYR 21.80

-8.99%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$177 MYR 722

26.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$11.0K MYR 44.9K

-61.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$70.7 MYR 289

-33.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$25.51 MYR 104

73.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$89.2 MYR 364

-10.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$54.4 MYR 222

70.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$515 MYR 2,104

106.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$322 MYR 1,314

21.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$860 MYR 3,513

149.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$545 MYR 2,223

133.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,025 MYR 8,266

97.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,122 MYR 4,581

479.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,132 MYR 4,621

-33.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.12

177.91%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Setia Alam: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $515 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 49% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $24.00 in Setia Alam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $214 – 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 30%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,460 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $973 in Setia Alam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 131% 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 $973, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.