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 $867 per month in Putra Heights vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,321 per month in Putra Heights vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,775 per month in Putra Heights vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Putra Heights is about 31% 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 35% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 MYR 14.58

$11.99 MX$210

-70.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 MYR 78.4

$41.78 MX$733

-54.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 MYR 19.01

$10.75 MX$189

-56.74%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.19

$3.50 MX$61.3

-14.86%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.47

$1.45 MX$25.41

-41.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MYR 1.98

$0.88 MX$15.52

-45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.31 MYR 17.64

$2.95 MX$51.7

46.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MYR 23.77

$4.51 MX$79.1

28.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.72

$1.43 MX$25.12

32.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 MYR 3.81

$1.84 MX$32.23

-49.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 5.04

$1.57 MX$27.51

-21.66%

Eggs

$1.80 MYR 7.36

$2.51 MX$44.06

-28.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.77 MYR 60.4

$8.28 MX$145

78.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 MYR 18.79

$8.43 MX$148

-45.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.54 MYR 39.02

$10.68 MX$187

-10.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 MYR 11.88

$2.61 MX$45.76

11.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.91

$1.44 MX$25.22

0.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.73

$1.96 MX$34.41

33.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 MYR 6.02

$2.09 MX$36.74

-29.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.26

$1.85 MX$32.47

-30.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.51

$2.17 MX$38.02

-37.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 MYR 4.97

$1.03 MX$18.09

18.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.13

$1.07 MX$18.84

-51.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.99

$4.10 MX$72.0

1.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.95 MYR 57.1

$10.17 MX$178

37.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 MYR 11.31

$1.68 MX$29.38

64.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 MYR 12.40

$2.53 MX$44.31

19.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.79

$0.51 MX$8.93

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.92 MYR 48.74

$26.04 MX$457

-54.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$3.23 MX$56.7

-62.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.24

$2.41 MX$42.19

-56.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.74 MYR 19.39

$3.23 MX$56.6

46.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$1.32 MX$23.17

-62.12%

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

$35.8K MYR 146.6K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

20.71%

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

$32.3K MYR 132.2K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

36.58%

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

$64.7 MYR 264

$82.0 MX$1,439

-21.16%

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

$9.17 MYR 37.51

$22.95 MX$403

-60.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.17 MYR 103

$30.11 MX$528

-16.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.24 MYR 152

$52.0 MX$912

-28.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 MYR 24.79

$18.53 MX$325

-67.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.33 MYR 21.81

$4.98 MX$87.3

7.03%

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

$185 MYR 756

$197 MX$3,463

-6.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,020 MYR 28.7K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

31.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 MYR 252

$35.60 MX$624

73.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.22 MYR 78.6

$40.33 MX$707

-52.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.0 MYR 303

$78.8 MX$1,381

-6.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.48 MYR 161

$88.9 MX$1,560

-55.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,582

$947 MX$16.6K

-59.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$274 MYR 1,121

$474 MX$8,314

-42.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$656 MYR 2,682

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-60.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,933

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-60.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,251 MYR 9,207

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-44.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,256 MYR 5,137

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-80.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,109 MYR 4,536

$654 MX$11.5K

69.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

11.42

-64.36%

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

Last update for Putra Heights: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Putra Heights versus $947 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 70% 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 $19.00 in Putra Heights versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $249 – 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 45%, 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 $1,301 per month in Putra Heights and $1,884 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 $867 in Putra Heights and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 118% 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 $867, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.