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 $1,008 per month in Selangor vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,449 per month in Selangor vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,890 per month in Selangor vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Selangor is about 22% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.56 MYR 10.16

$11.73 MX$203

-78.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.14 MYR 91.7

$41.62 MX$720

-44.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.74 MYR 14.84

$10.64 MX$184

-64.85%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 8.83

$3.52 MX$60.9

-36.65%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.06

$1.51 MX$26.12

-49.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.32

$0.97 MX$16.84

-65.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.19 MYR 16.62

$2.95 MX$51.0

42.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.33 MYR 21.15

$4.45 MX$77.0

19.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.26

$1.38 MX$23.93

32.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.00

$1.89 MX$32.72

-46.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.74

$1.64 MX$28.32

-11.59%

Eggs

$1.83 MYR 7.24

$2.51 MX$43.34

-27.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 MYR 57.2

$8.34 MX$144

73.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 MYR 18.46

$8.34 MX$144

-44.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 MYR 38.98

$10.73 MX$186

-8.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 MYR 11.37

$2.60 MX$45.04

10.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.52

$1.46 MX$25.20

12.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.65

$1.90 MX$32.87

41.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.98

$2.08 MX$35.91

-27.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.03

$1.78 MX$30.71

-28.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 MYR 3.93

$2.19 MX$37.80

-54.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.28

$1.04 MX$17.99

3.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.15

$1.08 MX$18.62

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.12

$4.08 MX$70.6

5.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.54 MYR 77.5

$10.32 MX$178

89.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.37 MYR 13.35

$1.71 MX$29.61

97.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 MYR 16.88

$2.58 MX$44.54

65.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.94

$0.51 MX$8.81

45.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 MYR 46.04

$26.46 MX$458

-56.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.21 MYR 4.79

$3.26 MX$56.4

-62.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 MYR 4.38

$2.49 MX$43.09

-55.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 MYR 17.39

$3.25 MX$56.2

34.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.84

$1.31 MX$22.61

-64.89%

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

$39.3K MYR 155.8K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

29.78%

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

$31.9K MYR 126.5K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

36.16%

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

$65.4 MYR 259

$82.9 MX$1,433

-21.06%

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

$9.48 MYR 37.59

$22.22 MX$384

-57.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.69 MYR 102

$29.34 MX$507

-12.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.55 MYR 153

$51.6 MX$893

-25.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.29 MYR 28.90

$18.32 MX$317

-60.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.20 MYR 20.62

$5.07 MX$87.6

2.56%

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

$117 MYR 462

$201 MX$3,473

-41.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,384 MYR 17.4K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-15.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 MYR 237

$36.92 MX$639

61.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.96 MYR 147

$39.79 MX$688

-7.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 MYR 298

$78.5 MX$1,357

-4.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 MYR 313

$87.1 MX$1,506

-9.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 MYR 1,749

$973 MX$16.8K

-54.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 MYR 1,379

$468 MX$8,090

-25.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 MYR 3,365

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-48.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 MYR 1,871

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-61.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,659 MYR 6,577

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-57.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$726 MYR 2,878

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-88.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,004 MYR 3,980

$664 MX$11.5K

51.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.96

11.42

-65.32%

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

Last update for Selangor: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $441 in Selangor 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 51% 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 $23.00 in Selangor versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $261 in Selangor 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 29%, 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 $1,511 per month in Selangor 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 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 $1,008 in Selangor 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 128% 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 $1,008, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.