Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Subang Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Subang Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $948 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,368 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,787 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

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

Both Playa del Carmen and Subang Jaya are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Subang Jaya 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.60 MYR 14.27

225.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$18.64 MYR 73.9

123.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.63 MYR 18.37

129.81%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.96 MYR 11.75

18.92%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.80 MYR 3.18

88.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.45 MYR 1.80

115.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$4.64 MYR 18.38

-36.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$6.61 MYR 26.22

-32.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.79 MYR 7.09

-22.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.94 MYR 3.72

101.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.44 MYR 5.70

13.89%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.09 MYR 8.30

20.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$14.83 MYR 58.8

-43.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.66 MYR 18.50

78.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.04 MYR 39.82

6.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.99 MYR 11.87

-13.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.30 MYR 5.15

12.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$2.63 MYR 10.43

-27.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.53 MYR 6.05

35.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.23 MYR 4.87

44.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.39 MYR 5.50

57.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.17 MYR 4.64

-11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.53 MYR 2.10

103.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$4.23 MYR 16.75

-3.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$19.44 MYR 77.1

-46.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.79 MYR 11.05

-38.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.96 MYR 11.75

-12.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.25 MYR 1.00

104.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$17.52 MYR 69.5

51.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.20 MYR 4.76

171.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.51 MYR 2.00

388.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$4.69 MYR 18.60

-30.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.47 MYR 1.86

178.72%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$35.3K MYR 140.0K

-14.23%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$33.4K MYR 132.5K

-29.90%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$45.16 MYR 179

83.50%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$11.51 MYR 45.64

93.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$30.09 MYR 119

-2.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$23.41 MYR 92.8

120.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$2.41 MYR 9.54

660.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$4.81 MYR 19.09

5.41%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$187 MYR 740

7.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$7,041 MYR 27.9K

-25.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$59.8 MYR 237

-38.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$18.66 MYR 74.0

113.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$83.0 MYR 329

-5.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$39.69 MYR 157

119.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$505 MYR 2,001

92.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$326 MYR 1,292

43.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$624 MYR 2,472

163.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$476 MYR 1,889

156.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,938 MYR 7,682

103.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$961 MYR 3,812

575.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$936 MYR 3,712

-29.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.47

155.48%

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 Subang Jaya: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $505 in Subang Jaya. 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 41% higher in Subang Jaya, 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 Subang Jaya. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $256 in Subang Jaya – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Subang Jaya: 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,423 in Subang Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Subang Jaya, 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 $948 in Subang Jaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Subang Jaya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Subang Jaya, where all-in costs run around $948, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Subang Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Subang Jaya – 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 Subang Jaya. 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.