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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $905 in Sentul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,335 in Sentul, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,765 in Sentul, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 40% more than Sentul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sentul are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Sentul 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$3.73 MYR 15.26

210.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$21.84 MYR 89.4

115.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$5.00 MYR 20.46

137.60%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$2.96 MYR 12.13

34.46%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.80 MYR 3.27

78.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.47 MYR 1.91

74.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$3.24 MYR 13.27

-1.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$5.63 MYR 23.03

20.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$1.74 MYR 7.14

-3.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$1.07 MYR 4.39

105.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$1.50 MYR 6.15

14.00%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$1.66 MYR 6.78

65.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$9.75 MYR 39.91

-1.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.22 MYR 13.18

179.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$9.61 MYR 39.32

33.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$3.46 MYR 14.15

-16.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$1.67 MYR 6.83

-10.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$2.70 MYR 11.03

-20.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$1.68 MYR 6.86

34.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$1.46 MYR 5.96

35.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$1.68 MYR 6.89

18.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$1.32 MYR 5.39

-6.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.52 MYR 2.13

130.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$4.39 MYR 17.96

3.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$13.87 MYR 56.8

-25.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$2.72 MYR 11.12

-40.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$3.14 MYR 12.87

-8.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.70 MYR 2.85

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$13.47 MYR 55.1

113.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.24 MYR 5.09

334.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$0.36 MYR 1.47

936.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$9.46 MYR 38.70

-39.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$0.76 MYR 3.13

102.63%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$42.1K MYR 172.1K

-46.38%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$32.2K MYR 131.6K

-18.98%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$49.62 MYR 203

84.16%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$8.39 MYR 34.33

200.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$26.63 MYR 109

17.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$42.34 MYR 173

58.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$6.63 MYR 27.15

339.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$4.83 MYR 19.77

0.62%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$164 MYR 673

36.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$4,398 MYR 18.0K

-3.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$52.3 MYR 214

-9.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$16.75 MYR 68.5

164.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$77.6 MYR 318

3.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$41.66 MYR 171

122.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$420 MYR 1,719

153.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$285 MYR 1,166

36.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$602 MYR 2,465

256.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$522 MYR 2,138

143.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

$2,319 MYR 9,492

72.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

$1,193 MYR 4,882

445.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$872 MYR 3,570

-13.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.06

182.02%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Sentul: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $420 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 15% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $22.00 in Sentul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $228 – 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 40%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,358 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $905 in Sentul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 114% 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 $905, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.