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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $900 in Sarawak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,286 in Sarawak, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,673 in Sarawak, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 41% 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 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$3.64 MYR 14.79

226.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$747

$18.77 MYR 76.4

128.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$5.28 MYR 21.46

101.70%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.1

$2.76 MYR 11.23

25.00%

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

$1.50 MX$26.19

$0.74 MYR 3.01

102.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.52

$0.39 MYR 1.60

143.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.7

$7.91 MYR 32.16

-61.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.3

$8.29 MYR 33.71

-44.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.96

$1.89 MYR 7.69

-26.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.18

$1.00 MYR 4.07

85.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.06

$1.29 MYR 5.23

24.81%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.18

$2.04 MYR 8.28

26.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$14.95 MYR 60.8

-44.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$2.55 MYR 10.39

228.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$9.68 MYR 39.35

10.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.80

$2.91 MYR 11.82

-9.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.92

$1.48 MYR 6.00

0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.44

$2.58 MYR 10.48

-25.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.34

$1.45 MYR 5.90

44.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.35

$1.22 MYR 4.97

52.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.39

$1.33 MYR 5.40

69.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.51

$1.00 MYR 4.09

6.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.95

$0.67 MYR 2.73

62.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.3

$4.29 MYR 17.46

-3.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$17.42 MYR 70.9

-40.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.03

$2.82 MYR 11.49

-39.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.52

$2.99 MYR 12.15

-12.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.44

$0.69 MYR 2.82

-21.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$469

$11.98 MYR 48.71

124.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$1.15 MYR 4.67

172.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.73

$0.98 MYR 3.99

156.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.9

$5.92 MYR 24.06

-46.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.21

$0.49 MYR 2.01

159.18%

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

$30.4K MX$529.1K

$34.9K MYR 142.1K

-13.06%

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

$23.6K MX$410.5K

$31.9K MYR 129.8K

-26.14%

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

$83.0 MX$1,446

$43.20 MYR 176

92.13%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$8.94 MYR 36.36

154.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$513

$29.23 MYR 119

0.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$888

$37.24 MYR 151

36.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$319

$6.00 MYR 24.39

205.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.8

$5.06 MYR 20.59

-2.57%

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

$197 MX$3,437

$189 MYR 770

4.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.0K

$6,935 MYR 28.2K

-23.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$643

$36.81 MYR 150

0.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$695

$39.24 MYR 160

1.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,394

$76.9 MYR 313

4.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,559

$56.1 MYR 228

59.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$324 MYR 1,317

195.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,311

$269 MYR 1,095

77.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$505 MYR 2,052

226.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.3K

$360 MYR 1,463

240.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.3K

$1,935 MYR 7,870

102.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.5K

$973 MYR 3,956

564.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

$420 MYR 1,708

58.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.07

180.59%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sarawak: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $324 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 59% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Sarawak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $243 – 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 41%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,350 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $900 in Sarawak. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 125% 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 $900, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.