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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $841 in Sentul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,264 in Sentul, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,687 in Sentul, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 53% more than Sentul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sentul are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Sentul 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.56 MYR 14.08

235.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$18.80 MYR 74.3

127.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.73 MYR 18.69

123.89%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.83 MYR 11.20

27.92%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.68 MYR 2.68

116.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.45 MYR 1.76

108.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.61 MYR 14.27

-14.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$5.16 MYR 20.39

-13.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.80 MYR 7.12

-20.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.00 MYR 3.97

88.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.81 MYR 7.14

-9.94%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.81 MYR 7.15

45.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$10.48 MYR 41.41

-21.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.37 MYR 13.33

145.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$8.22 MYR 32.47

35.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.67 MYR 10.54

-0.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.45 MYR 5.71

3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.49 MYR 9.82

-20.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.25 MYR 4.95

66.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.13 MYR 4.46

58.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.34 MYR 5.30

62.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.87 MYR 3.45

24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.60 MYR 2.37

73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$4.15 MYR 16.39

-4.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$14.57 MYR 57.5

-29.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.75 MYR 10.88

-37.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.90 MYR 11.44

-13.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.68 MYR 2.68

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$11.83 MYR 46.72

127.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.01 MYR 3.99

210.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.98 MYR 3.88

144.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$9.42 MYR 37.19

-67.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.46 MYR 1.82

176.09%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$31.8K MYR 125.5K

-2.78%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$28.1K MYR 111.0K

-17.03%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$40.35 MYR 159

103.25%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$9.11 MYR 35.97

146.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$23.66 MYR 93.5

25.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$37.07 MYR 146

39.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$5.76 MYR 22.73

224.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.99 MYR 19.69

-0.40%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$190 MYR 749

4.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$6,898 MYR 27.2K

-23.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$65.7 MYR 260

-44.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$27.85 MYR 110

43.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$59.0 MYR 233

35.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$48.36 MYR 191

83.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$387 MYR 1,529

148.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$266 MYR 1,051

74.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$632 MYR 2,496

152.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$473 MYR 1,867

155.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$1,791 MYR 7,076

120.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$920 MYR 3,634

600.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$922 MYR 3,643

-21.88%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Sentul: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $387 in Sentul. 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 28% higher in Sentul, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Sentul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $219 – making Sentul 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 Sentul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 53%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,261 in Sentul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sentul, 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $841 in Sentul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 128% less in Sentul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sentul, where all-in costs run around $841, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Sentul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sentul – 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 Sentul. 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.