Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Setia Alam and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $982 per month in Setia Alam vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,469 per month in Setia Alam vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,956 per month in Setia Alam vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Setia Alam is about 24% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Setia Alam and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Setia Alam 29% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.87 MYR 19.64

$11.71 MX$198

-58.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.49 MYR 98.8

$46.59 MX$788

-47.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 MYR 19.44

$11.65 MX$197

-58.63%

Cappuccino

$3.23 MYR 13.05

$4.09 MX$69.2

-21.03%

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

$0.79 MYR 3.20

$1.37 MX$23.23

-42.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 MYR 1.85

$0.83 MX$14.09

-44.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.57 MYR 18.45

$3.35 MX$56.7

36.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 MYR 24.71

$6.91 MX$117

-11.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.45

$1.73 MX$29.20

6.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 MYR 3.10

$2.26 MX$38.21

-65.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 MYR 4.28

$1.77 MX$29.91

-40.11%

Eggs

$1.79 MYR 7.23

$2.73 MX$46.19

-34.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.06 MYR 20.42

$9.18 MX$155

-44.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.29 MYR 17.30

$8.92 MX$151

-51.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.65 MYR 38.94

$12.60 MX$213

-23.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.56

$3.02 MX$51.1

-54.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MYR 7.68

$1.57 MX$26.55

21.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.53

$2.13 MX$35.93

-35.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.18

$2.26 MX$38.28

-32.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.61

$2.00 MX$33.88

-30.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.43

$2.06 MX$34.90

-34.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 MYR 2.56

$1.18 MX$19.94

-46.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.27

$1.20 MX$20.35

-53.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.34 MYR 17.52

$4.63 MX$78.4

-6.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 MYR 78.3

$10.69 MX$181

81.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 MYR 14.19

$1.62 MX$27.38

117.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MYR 19.59

$2.88 MX$48.70

68.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 MYR 2.86

$0.57 MX$9.69

24.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.15 MYR 49.01

$29.83 MX$504

-59.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 MYR 5.11

$5.45 MX$92.1

-76.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 MYR 5.11

$3.70 MX$62.6

-65.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 MYR 20.11

$5.98 MX$101

-16.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.65

$1.55 MX$26.26

-57.42%

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

$41.6K MYR 168.0K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

86.48%

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

$34.8K MYR 140.5K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

34.26%

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

$63.0 MYR 254

$89.1 MX$1,507

-29.28%

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

$9.14 MYR 36.86

$25.04 MX$423

-63.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.57 MYR 107

$31.50 MX$532

-15.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.2 MYR 231

$67.8 MX$1,146

-15.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 MYR 26.33

$28.92 MX$489

-77.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 MYR 21.42

$5.05 MX$85.4

5.15%

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

$176 MYR 711

$225 MX$3,803

-21.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K MYR 44.9K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

163.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.6 MYR 297

$47.44 MX$802

55.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.69 MYR 104

$44.98 MX$760

-42.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 MYR 367

$82.0 MX$1,386

10.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.4 MYR 223

$92.1 MX$1,557

-39.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 MYR 2,163

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-49.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 MYR 1,277

$405 MX$6,852

-21.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$873 MYR 3,521

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-54.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 MYR 2,219

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-57.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,066 MYR 8,335

$3,995 MX$67.5K

-48.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,112 MYR 4,487

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-83.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,151 MYR 4,643

$749 MX$12.7K

53.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

11.45

-64.02%

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

Last update for Setia Alam: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $536 in Setia Alam 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 54% higher in Setia Alam, 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 $24.00 in Setia Alam versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $277 – making Setia Alam 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,472 per month in Setia Alam 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 Setia Alam, 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 $982 in Setia Alam 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 146% less in Setia Alam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Setia Alam, where all-in costs run around $982, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Setia Alam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Setia Alam – 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 Setia Alam. 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.