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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $986 in Sarawak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,450 in Sarawak, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,914 in Sarawak, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 32% more than Sarawak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sarawak are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sarawak 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.73 MYR 15.19

220.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$19.47 MYR 79.2

143.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$4.91 MYR 19.96

139.31%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.00 MYR 12.22

37.33%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.82 MYR 3.36

70.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.39 MYR 1.61

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.63 MYR 14.77

-11.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.54 MYR 18.46

55.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.82 MYR 7.40

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.06 MYR 4.32

102.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.51 MYR 6.15

17.22%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.85 MYR 7.54

52.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$13.17 MYR 53.6

-30.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.39 MYR 17.84

110.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$9.79 MYR 39.85

29.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.26 MYR 13.26

-9.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.76 MYR 7.18

-10.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$2.41 MYR 9.81

-7.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.66 MYR 6.74

42.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.32 MYR 5.37

50.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.17 MYR 4.74

69.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.21 MYR 4.92

2.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.56 MYR 2.29

116.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$4.40 MYR 17.89

4.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$19.47 MYR 79.2

-45.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$3.02 MYR 12.29

-44.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$3.68 MYR 14.97

-24.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.72 MYR 2.92

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$12.50 MYR 50.9

137.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.20 MYR 4.90

336.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.48 MYR 1.95

660.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$7.32 MYR 29.77

-21.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.73 MYR 2.96

110.96%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$42.2K MYR 171.7K

-45.97%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$35.7K MYR 145.3K

-27.75%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$49.33 MYR 201

83.80%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$9.93 MYR 40.41

153.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$28.50 MYR 116

11.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$40.37 MYR 164

70.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$6.50 MYR 26.45

351.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.95 MYR 20.13

-1.82%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$177 MYR 718

27.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$4,909 MYR 20.0K

-14.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$61.3 MYR 249

-22.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$35.90 MYR 146

21.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$81.2 MYR 330

-1.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$69.2 MYR 282

31.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$422 MYR 1,716

157.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$328 MYR 1,334

24.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$709 MYR 2,883

178.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$493 MYR 2,007

159.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,086 MYR 8,485

93.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,123 MYR 4,567

497.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$343 MYR 1,397

125.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.2

172.62%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Sarawak: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $422 in Sarawak. 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 125% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Sarawak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $257 – making Sarawak 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

Playa del Carmen vs Sarawak: 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,479 in Sarawak. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sarawak, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $986 in Sarawak. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 138% less in Sarawak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sarawak, where all-in costs run around $986, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Sarawak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sarawak – 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 Sarawak. 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.