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 $948 per month in Subang Jaya vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,368 per month in Subang Jaya vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,787 per month in Subang Jaya vs $3,065 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 29% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.27

$11.73 MX$203

-69.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.64 MYR 73.9

$41.62 MX$720

-55.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 MYR 18.37

$10.64 MX$184

-56.48%

Cappuccino

$2.96 MYR 11.75

$3.52 MX$60.9

-15.91%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.18

$1.51 MX$26.12

-47.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.80

$0.97 MX$16.84

-53.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.64 MYR 18.38

$2.95 MX$51.0

57.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.61 MYR 26.22

$4.45 MX$77.0

48.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.09

$1.38 MX$23.93

29.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 MYR 3.72

$1.89 MX$32.72

-50.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.70

$1.64 MX$28.32

-12.20%

Eggs

$2.09 MYR 8.30

$2.51 MX$43.34

-16.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.83 MYR 58.8

$8.34 MX$144

77.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 MYR 18.50

$8.34 MX$144

-44.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 MYR 39.82

$10.73 MX$186

-6.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 11.87

$2.60 MX$45.04

15.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 MYR 5.15

$1.46 MX$25.20

-10.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.63 MYR 10.43

$1.90 MX$32.87

38.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.05

$2.08 MX$35.91

-26.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 MYR 4.87

$1.78 MX$30.71

-30.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.50

$2.19 MX$37.80

-36.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 MYR 4.64

$1.04 MX$17.99

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MYR 2.10

$1.08 MX$18.62

-50.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.23 MYR 16.75

$4.08 MX$70.6

3.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.44 MYR 77.1

$10.32 MX$178

88.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.05

$1.71 MX$29.61

63.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 MYR 11.75

$2.58 MX$44.54

14.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 MYR 1.00

$0.51 MX$8.81

-50.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.52 MYR 69.5

$26.46 MX$458

-33.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.76

$3.26 MX$56.4

-63.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 MYR 2.00

$2.49 MX$43.09

-79.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 MYR 18.60

$3.25 MX$56.2

44.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.86

$1.31 MX$22.61

-64.12%

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

$35.3K MYR 140.0K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

16.60%

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

$33.4K MYR 132.5K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

42.65%

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

$45.16 MYR 179

$82.9 MX$1,433

-45.51%

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

$11.51 MYR 45.64

$22.22 MX$384

-48.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.09 MYR 119

$29.34 MX$507

2.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.41 MYR 92.8

$51.6 MX$893

-54.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.41 MYR 9.54

$18.32 MX$317

-86.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MYR 19.09

$5.07 MX$87.6

-5.13%

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

$187 MYR 740

$201 MX$3,473

-7.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,041 MYR 27.9K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

35.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 MYR 237

$36.92 MX$639

62.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.66 MYR 74.0

$39.79 MX$688

-53.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 MYR 329

$78.5 MX$1,357

5.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.69 MYR 157

$87.1 MX$1,506

-54.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MYR 2,001

$973 MX$16.8K

-48.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 MYR 1,292

$468 MX$8,090

-30.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 MYR 2,472

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-62.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 MYR 1,889

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-60.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,938 MYR 7,682

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-50.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$961 MYR 3,812

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-85.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$936 MYR 3,712

$664 MX$11.5K

41.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

11.42

-60.86%

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

Last update for Subang Jaya: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $505 in Subang Jaya 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 41% 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 $19.00 in Subang Jaya versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Subang Jaya 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

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 $1,423 per month in Subang Jaya 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 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 $948 in Subang Jaya 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 51% 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 $948, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.