Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawang and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawang and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $852 per month in Rawang vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,310 per month in Rawang vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,768 per month in Rawang vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Rawang is about 34% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rawang and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Rawang 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 MYR 12.05

$11.73 MX$203

-74.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.02 MYR 83.4

$41.62 MX$720

-49.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.28 MYR 16.99

$10.64 MX$184

-59.77%

Cappuccino

$2.82 MYR 11.20

$3.52 MX$60.9

-19.89%

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

$0.91 MYR 3.60

$1.51 MX$26.12

-39.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.35

$0.97 MX$16.84

-64.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 MYR 16.55

$2.95 MX$51.0

41.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 MYR 17.10

$4.45 MX$77.0

-3.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 MYR 7.28

$1.38 MX$23.93

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.08

$1.89 MX$32.72

-45.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 6.81

$1.64 MX$28.32

4.88%

Eggs

$2.05 MYR 8.11

$2.51 MX$43.34

-18.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.67 MYR 58.2

$8.34 MX$144

75.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 MYR 18.22

$8.34 MX$144

-44.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.40 MYR 37.29

$10.73 MX$186

-12.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MYR 11.35

$2.60 MX$45.04

10.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 5.95

$1.46 MX$25.20

2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 MYR 10.75

$1.90 MX$32.87

42.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.77

$2.08 MX$35.91

-29.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.54

$1.78 MX$30.71

-35.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.62

$2.19 MX$37.80

-47.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 MYR 3.64

$1.04 MX$17.99

-11.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 1.93

$1.08 MX$18.62

-54.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.18

$4.08 MX$70.6

6.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 MYR 78.2

$10.32 MX$178

91.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 MYR 10.64

$1.71 MX$29.61

56.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 MYR 13.31

$2.58 MX$44.54

30.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.72

$0.51 MX$8.81

35.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.68 MYR 46.30

$26.46 MX$458

-55.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MYR 2.91

$3.26 MX$56.4

-77.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.00

$2.49 MX$43.09

-79.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.59 MYR 18.19

$3.25 MX$56.2

41.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.01

$1.31 MX$22.61

-61.07%

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

$33.9K MYR 134.3K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

11.89%

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

$27.2K MYR 108.0K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

16.26%

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

$37.94 MYR 150

$82.9 MX$1,433

-54.22%

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

$10.01 MYR 39.71

$22.22 MX$384

-54.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.40 MYR 101

$29.34 MX$507

-13.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.31 MYR 148

$51.6 MX$893

-27.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.79 MYR 22.95

$18.32 MX$317

-68.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 MYR 19.30

$5.07 MX$87.6

-3.94%

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

$235 MYR 934

$201 MX$3,473

17.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,161 MYR 24.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

18.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.6 MYR 220

$36.92 MX$639

50.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.12 MYR 115

$39.79 MX$688

-26.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 MYR 240

$78.5 MX$1,357

-23.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.9 MYR 206

$87.1 MX$1,506

-40.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,506

$973 MX$16.8K

-60.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MYR 1,076

$468 MX$8,090

-41.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 MYR 2,516

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-61.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 MYR 1,903

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-60.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,013 MYR 7,981

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-48.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$962 MYR 3,814

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-85.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,232 MYR 4,886

$664 MX$11.5K

85.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

11.42

-63.57%

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

Last update for Rawang: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $380 in Rawang versus $973 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 86% higher in Rawang, 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 $21.00 in Rawang versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Rawang vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 52%, 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 $1,279 per month in Rawang and $1,945 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 Rawang, 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 $852 in Rawang and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 127% less in Rawang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rawang, where all-in costs run around $852, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Rawang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rawang – 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 Rawang. 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.