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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $909 in Sarawak, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,312 in Sarawak, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,714 in Sarawak, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 39% more than Sarawak, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sarawak are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Sarawak 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$3.46 MYR 13.65

237.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$18.70 MYR 73.9

123.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$5.41 MYR 21.37

92.24%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.70 MYR 10.66

33.70%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.79 MYR 3.11

86.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.39 MYR 1.55

133.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$7.72 MYR 30.51

-60.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$8.13 MYR 32.13

-45.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.79 MYR 7.07

-22.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.99 MYR 3.92

85.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.23 MYR 4.87

30.89%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.04 MYR 8.08

25.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$15.06 MYR 59.5

-43.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$2.65 MYR 10.48

220.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$9.60 MYR 37.93

14.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$2.99 MYR 11.81

-8.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.46 MYR 5.75

2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$2.50 MYR 9.88

-21.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.43 MYR 5.65

48.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.22 MYR 4.82

52.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.28 MYR 5.04

69.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.04 MYR 4.09

2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.63 MYR 2.47

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$4.16 MYR 16.41

0.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$16.22 MYR 64.1

-36.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$2.86 MYR 11.28

-41.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.97 MYR 11.74

-16.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.73 MYR 2.87

-26.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$11.56 MYR 45.65

127.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$1.20 MYR 4.75

158.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.99 MYR 3.90

148.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$5.91 MYR 23.35

-45.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.50 MYR 1.98

152.00%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$35.2K MYR 139.1K

-14.31%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$31.7K MYR 125.3K

-26.08%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$42.70 MYR 169

96.70%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$8.86 MYR 34.99

150.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$28.95 MYR 114

2.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$37.04 MYR 146

42.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$6.03 MYR 23.82

204.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$4.90 MYR 19.34

1.02%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$187 MYR 737

6.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$6,975 MYR 27.6K

-23.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$35.88 MYR 142

0.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$39.15 MYR 155

2.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$78.7 MYR 311

0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$57.5 MYR 227

50.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$326 MYR 1,289

199.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$270 MYR 1,065

74.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$500 MYR 1,977

218.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$356 MYR 1,405

241.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$1,754 MYR 6,928

129.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$886 MYR 3,498

642.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$429 MYR 1,696

66.33%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Sarawak: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $326 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 66% 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 $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $19 in Sarawak. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $240 – 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 39%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,364 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $909 in Sarawak. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 127% 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 $909, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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.