Cost of Living Comparison Between Putra Heights and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Putra Heights and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Putra Heights vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,391 per month in Putra Heights vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,832 per month in Putra Heights vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Putra Heights is about 25% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Putra Heights and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Putra Heights 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 MYR 14.95

$11.60 MX$199

-68.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.70 MYR 88.8

$47.11 MX$809

-53.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 MYR 20.19

$11.88 MX$204

-58.50%

Cappuccino

$2.86 MYR 11.70

$3.98 MX$68.2

-28.14%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.46

$1.43 MX$24.49

-41.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 MYR 1.81

$0.82 MX$14.16

-46.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.45 MYR 18.21

$3.19 MX$54.7

39.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.11 MYR 25.02

$6.79 MX$117

-10.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 MYR 7.22

$1.68 MX$28.76

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 MYR 4.38

$2.20 MX$37.71

-51.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.90

$1.71 MX$29.32

-15.79%

Eggs

$1.74 MYR 7.12

$2.74 MX$47.05

-36.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.73 MYR 64.4

$9.58 MX$164

64.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 MYR 18.56

$9.01 MX$155

-49.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.58 MYR 39.20

$12.81 MX$220

-25.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 MYR 14.13

$2.89 MX$49.58

19.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.83

$1.50 MX$25.70

11.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 MYR 9.87

$2.15 MX$36.87

12.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 MYR 6.55

$2.26 MX$38.79

-29.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 MYR 5.59

$1.98 MX$34.00

-31.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.89

$1.99 MX$34.15

-27.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.77

$1.23 MX$21.18

-4.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.11

$1.20 MX$20.54

-57.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.66

$4.55 MX$78.1

-5.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.99 MYR 57.3

$10.37 MX$178

34.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 MYR 12.21

$1.62 MX$27.79

83.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 MYR 12.25

$2.88 MX$49.44

3.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.95

$0.60 MX$10.30

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.09 MYR 49.49

$28.80 MX$494

-58.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 MYR 5.16

$5.39 MX$92.5

-76.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$3.73 MX$64.0

-79.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 MYR 20.30

$5.77 MX$99.0

-14.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 MYR 3.35

$1.54 MX$26.37

-46.75%

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

$42.4K MYR 173.4K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

87.93%

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

$35.0K MYR 143.4K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

34.49%

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

$65.1 MYR 266

$91.4 MX$1,569

-28.79%

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

$9.41 MYR 38.52

$25.20 MX$433

-62.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.20 MYR 107

$31.24 MX$536

-16.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.09 MYR 168

$67.2 MX$1,154

-38.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.58 MYR 31.02

$29.11 MX$500

-73.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.39 MYR 22.08

$4.86 MX$83.5

10.91%

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

$165 MYR 676

$224 MX$3,839

-26.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,404 MYR 22.1K

$4,229 MX$72.6K

27.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.5 MYR 268

$47.10 MX$808

39.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.47 MYR 67.4

$44.29 MX$760

-62.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 MYR 336

$80.1 MX$1,375

2.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.65 MYR 166

$92.7 MX$1,591

-56.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$408 MYR 1,669

$1,063 MX$18.2K

-61.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 MYR 1,307

$390 MX$6,698

-18.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 MYR 2,753

$2,149 MX$36.9K

-68.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 MYR 1,975

$1,272 MX$21.8K

-62.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,986 MYR 8,129

$4,001 MX$68.7K

-50.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,234 MYR 5,051

$6,502 MX$111.6K

-81.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,103 MYR 4,514

$758 MX$13.0K

45.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

11.45

-64.54%

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

Last update for Putra Heights: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $408 in Putra Heights versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. 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 45% higher in Putra Heights, 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 $22.00 in Putra Heights versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $276 – making Putra Heights 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

Putra Heights vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 33%, 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 $1,424 per month in Putra Heights and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Putra Heights, 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 $950 in Putra Heights and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 138% less in Putra Heights. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Putra Heights, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Putra Heights it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Putra Heights – 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 Putra Heights. 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.