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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $927 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,385 in Setia Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,842 in Setia Alam, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 40% 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 3% lower, Setia Alam 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.59 MYR 18.31

155.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$23.15 MYR 92.4

79.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.84 MYR 19.32

119.83%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$3.13 MYR 12.50

12.46%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.89 MYR 3.56

69.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.37 MYR 1.47

162.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$4.26 MYR 16.99

-30.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$5.74 MYR 22.91

-22.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.80 MYR 7.16

-23.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.68 MYR 2.72

177.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.98 MYR 3.91

67.35%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.73 MYR 6.91

45.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.62 MYR 18.44

80.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.92 MYR 15.63

112.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.45 MYR 37.69

13.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.32 MYR 5.29

96.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.59 MYR 6.34

-8.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.29 MYR 5.14

47.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.43 MYR 5.71

45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.23 MYR 4.93

44.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.27 MYR 5.07

72.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.61 MYR 2.42

70.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.56 MYR 2.24

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$4.06 MYR 16.20

0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$19.94 MYR 79.6

-48.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$3.23 MYR 12.90

-47.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$4.27 MYR 17.05

-39.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.73 MYR 2.89

-30.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$11.93 MYR 47.61

121.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.16 MYR 4.64

181.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.14 MYR 4.54

118.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$4.62 MYR 18.42

-29.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.48 MYR 1.90

172.92%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$39.3K MYR 156.9K

-22.98%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$32.2K MYR 128.6K

-27.28%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$58.1 MYR 232

42.76%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$10.59 MYR 42.26

109.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$25.89 MYR 103

13.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$55.8 MYR 223

-7.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$2.35 MYR 9.37

679.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$5.11 MYR 20.39

-0.78%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$193 MYR 769

4.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$9,575 MYR 38.2K

-45.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$61.3 MYR 245

-39.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$24.70 MYR 98.6

61.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$84.5 MYR 337

-7.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$52.0 MYR 208

67.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$496 MYR 1,979

96.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$309 MYR 1,233

51.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$815 MYR 3,252

101.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$524 MYR 2,091

132.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$1,965 MYR 7,840

100.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$991 MYR 3,955

555.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,180 MYR 4,708

-43.74%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Setia Alam: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $496 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 78% 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 $23.00 in Setia Alam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $206 – 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 40%, 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 $1,390 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $927 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 $927, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.