Cost of Living Comparison Between Subang Jaya and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Subang Jaya and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $950 per month in Subang Jaya vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,439 per month in Subang Jaya vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,927 per month in Subang Jaya vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Subang Jaya is about 27% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Subang Jaya and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Subang Jaya 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.15

$11.96 MX$203

-68.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.69 MYR 80.1

$47.38 MX$804

-58.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 MYR 19.26

$11.75 MX$199

-59.74%

Cappuccino

$2.91 MYR 11.83

$4.12 MX$70.0

-29.37%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.99

$1.40 MX$23.74

-47.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$0.91 MX$15.48

-59.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.13 MYR 16.80

$3.21 MX$54.4

28.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 MYR 18.61

$7.07 MX$120

-35.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.54

$1.68 MX$28.44

10.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MYR 4.47

$2.15 MX$36.48

-48.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.06

$1.77 MX$30.10

-2.26%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.76

$2.82 MX$47.76

-23.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 MYR 54.6

$9.20 MX$156

45.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 MYR 19.86

$9.23 MX$157

-47.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.99 MYR 36.58

$12.64 MX$214

-28.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MYR 11.65

$2.95 MX$50.1

-3.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MYR 7.91

$1.58 MX$26.79

22.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 MYR 9.81

$2.22 MX$37.70

8.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.77

$2.36 MX$40.09

-39.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 MYR 4.38

$1.99 MX$33.81

-45.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.58

$1.98 MX$33.58

-42.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$1.24 MX$21.04

-12.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.32

$1.21 MX$20.55

-52.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 MYR 18.25

$4.60 MX$78.1

-2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.22 MYR 78.2

$10.52 MX$178

82.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.82

$1.69 MX$28.70

72.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 MYR 16.45

$2.77 MX$47.06

45.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 MYR 3.61

$0.60 MX$10.22

48.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.40 MYR 50.5

$29.70 MX$504

-58.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$5.24 MX$88.8

-77.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 MYR 1.58

$3.65 MX$61.9

-89.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 MYR 20.59

$5.78 MX$98.1

-12.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$1.54 MX$26.09

-45.45%

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

$41.5K MYR 168.7K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

81.89%

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

$35.8K MYR 145.4K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

38.51%

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

$38.14 MYR 155

$90.7 MX$1,538

-57.94%

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

$9.90 MYR 40.28

$25.19 MX$427

-60.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MYR 119

$31.75 MX$539

-7.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.78 MYR 101

$68.8 MX$1,167

-63.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.51 MYR 10.23

$29.37 MX$498

-91.45%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 MYR 22.67

$4.86 MX$82.5

14.61%

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

$298 MYR 1,211

$226 MX$3,828

31.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K MYR 44.3K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

159.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 MYR 244

$47.38 MX$804

26.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.23 MYR 143

$43.45 MX$737

-18.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 MYR 347

$80.2 MX$1,361

6.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 290

$91.4 MX$1,550

-22.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 MYR 2,338

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-47.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 MYR 1,430

$409 MX$6,933

-14.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 MYR 2,858

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-64.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 MYR 2,498

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-52.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,410 MYR 9,806

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-40.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,843 MYR 7,497

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-72.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$909 MYR 3,697

$773 MX$13.1K

17.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

11.45

-63.32%

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

Last update for Subang Jaya: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $575 in Subang Jaya versus $1,086 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 18% higher in Subang Jaya, 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 Subang Jaya versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $278 – making Subang Jaya 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 37%, 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 $1,426 per month in Subang Jaya and $1,958 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 Subang Jaya, 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 $950 in Subang Jaya and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 140% less in Subang Jaya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Subang Jaya, where all-in costs run around $950, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Subang Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Subang Jaya – 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 Subang Jaya. 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.