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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,029 per month in Selangor vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,494 per month in Selangor vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,960 per month in Selangor vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Selangor is about 20% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Selangor and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Selangor 25% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 MYR 17.76

$11.71 MX$199

-62.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.22 MYR 81.8

$46.59 MX$791

-56.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 MYR 16.43

$11.65 MX$198

-65.15%

Cappuccino

$2.24 MYR 9.06

$4.09 MX$69.5

-45.23%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$1.37 MX$23.34

-38.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.73

$0.83 MX$14.16

-48.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.50 MYR 18.19

$3.35 MX$56.9

34.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 MYR 20.09

$6.91 MX$117

-28.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.62

$1.73 MX$29.33

8.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$2.26 MX$38.39

-50.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.02

$1.77 MX$30.05

-15.82%

Eggs

$2.01 MYR 8.14

$2.73 MX$46.41

-26.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.12 MYR 65.2

$9.18 MX$156

75.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 MYR 19.79

$8.92 MX$151

-45.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 MYR 40.10

$12.60 MX$214

-21.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 MYR 13.58

$3.02 MX$51.3

11.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$1.57 MX$26.68

17.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 MYR 9.51

$2.13 MX$36.10

10.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 MYR 6.69

$2.26 MX$38.46

-26.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.41

$2.00 MX$34.04

-33.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 MYR 4.24

$2.06 MX$35.06

-49.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.74

$1.18 MX$20.04

-0.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.36

$1.20 MX$20.45

-51.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 MYR 18.46

$4.63 MX$78.7

-1.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.08 MYR 77.2

$10.69 MX$182

78.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.69

$1.62 MX$27.50

109.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MYR 20.49

$2.88 MX$48.93

76.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 MYR 5.07

$0.57 MX$9.74

119.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.60 MYR 50.9

$29.83 MX$507

-57.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 MYR 4.95

$5.45 MX$92.5

-77.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$3.70 MX$62.9

-65.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 MYR 18.05

$5.98 MX$102

-25.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.69 MYR 2.77

$1.55 MX$26.38

-55.48%

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

$42.9K MYR 173.5K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

92.20%

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

$35.5K MYR 143.5K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

36.77%

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

$65.6 MYR 265

$89.1 MX$1,514

-26.46%

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

$9.42 MYR 38.10

$25.04 MX$425

-62.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.41 MYR 107

$31.50 MX$535

-16.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.52 MYR 164

$67.8 MX$1,151

-40.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.09 MYR 28.68

$28.92 MX$491

-75.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 MYR 21.96

$5.05 MX$85.8

7.52%

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

$123 MYR 499

$225 MX$3,820

-45.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,417 MYR 30.0K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

75.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 MYR 288

$47.44 MX$806

50.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.00 MYR 174

$44.98 MX$764

-4.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 MYR 319

$82.0 MX$1,392

-3.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 MYR 333

$92.1 MX$1,564

-10.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 MYR 2,057

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-52.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MYR 1,405

$405 MX$6,884

-14.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 MYR 3,685

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-52.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$489 MYR 1,977

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-62.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,618 MYR 6,540

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-59.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$711 MYR 2,874

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-89.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,060 MYR 4,285

$749 MX$12.7K

41.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

11.45

-65.41%

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

Last update for Selangor: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Selangor versus $1,069 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 42% higher in Selangor, 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 $20.00 in Selangor versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $277 – making Selangor 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 26%, 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 $1,543 per month in Selangor and $1,940 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 Selangor, 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 $1,029 in Selangor and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 137% less in Selangor. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Selangor, where all-in costs run around $1,029, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Selangor it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Selangor – 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 Selangor. 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.