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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $957 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,362 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,767 in Subang Jaya, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 31% 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 6% lower, Subang Jaya 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.60 MYR 14.73

233.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$19.22 MYR 78.6

117.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.76 MYR 19.46

125.84%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.00 MYR 12.29

16.67%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.79 MYR 3.24

83.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.46 MYR 1.88

91.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$4.75 MYR 19.45

-37.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$6.63 MYR 27.13

-31.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.86 MYR 7.59

-23.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.96 MYR 3.91

91.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.44 MYR 5.88

9.03%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.07 MYR 8.46

21.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$14.78 MYR 60.5

-43.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.73 MYR 19.36

78.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$9.84 MYR 40.23

8.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.89 MYR 11.81

-9.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.34 MYR 5.50

7.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.62 MYR 10.73

-25.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.51 MYR 6.18

38.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.23 MYR 5.05

50.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.41 MYR 5.76

53.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.22 MYR 5.00

-15.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.52 MYR 2.14

105.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$4.12 MYR 16.85

-0.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$18.99 MYR 77.7

-46.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.73 MYR 11.17

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.94 MYR 12.02

-13.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.25 MYR 1.03

104.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$17.70 MYR 72.4

47.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.16 MYR 4.76

178.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.49 MYR 2.02

391.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$4.60 MYR 18.83

-29.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.46 MYR 1.87

186.96%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$35.2K MYR 144.0K

-15.66%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$33.1K MYR 135.5K

-28.55%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$45.46 MYR 186

80.40%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$11.55 MYR 47.23

98.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$30.28 MYR 124

-0.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$23.82 MYR 97.4

118.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$2.30 MYR 9.39

705.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.80 MYR 19.64

3.75%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$186 MYR 761

6.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$6,903 MYR 28.2K

-22.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$60.9 MYR 249

-41.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$18.95 MYR 77.5

112.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$83.7 MYR 342

-5.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$39.53 MYR 162

124.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$495 MYR 2,022

91.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$333 MYR 1,361

42.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$630 MYR 2,576

161.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$478 MYR 1,957

153.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,362 MYR 9,662

71.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,833 MYR 7,499

252.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$914 MYR 3,738

-28.46%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Subang Jaya: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $495 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 40% 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 $255 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 31%, 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 $1,435 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $957 in Subang Jaya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 47% 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 $957, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.