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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $843 in Sentul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,273 in Sentul, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,704 in Sentul, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 54% more than Sentul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sentul are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Sentul 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$3.46 MYR 14.06

239.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$18.61 MYR 75.7

124.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$4.68 MYR 19.02

122.44%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.75 MYR 11.17

31.27%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.71 MYR 2.89

105.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.46 MYR 1.86

110.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$3.59 MYR 14.61

-18.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$4.99 MYR 20.27

-7.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.79 MYR 7.27

-20.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.00 MYR 4.06

90.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.74 MYR 7.05

-9.77%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.82 MYR 7.39

45.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$10.47 MYR 42.55

-19.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$3.43 MYR 13.94

150.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$7.99 MYR 32.49

37.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.65 MYR 10.77

1.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.53 MYR 6.23

-1.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.47 MYR 10.05

-22.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.20 MYR 4.87

80.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.14 MYR 4.64

64.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.35 MYR 5.47

65.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.89 MYR 3.61

21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.59 MYR 2.39

81.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$4.21 MYR 17.12

-1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$14.27 MYR 58.0

-27.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.70 MYR 10.97

-37.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.92 MYR 11.87

-13.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.68 MYR 2.77

-19.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$11.69 MYR 47.52

124.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.02 MYR 4.15

213.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.00 MYR 4.06

146.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$9.40 MYR 38.21

-65.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$0.47 MYR 1.89

180.85%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$31.8K MYR 129.1K

-5.06%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$28.1K MYR 114.1K

-16.64%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$40.18 MYR 163

102.46%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$9.03 MYR 36.70

148.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$23.16 MYR 94.1

29.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$36.31 MYR 148

42.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$5.98 MYR 24.30

207.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$5.00 MYR 20.33

3.20%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$185 MYR 751

9.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$6,825 MYR 27.7K

-22.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$64.8 MYR 263

-45.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$28.50 MYR 116

41.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$60.0 MYR 244

31.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$48.88 MYR 199

77.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$394 MYR 1,600

141.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$275 MYR 1,117

73.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$639 MYR 2,599

153.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$467 MYR 1,898

161.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$1,996 MYR 8,114

100.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$836 MYR 3,398

674.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$903 MYR 3,672

-25.51%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Sentul: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $394 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 34% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Sentul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $218 – 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 54%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,264 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $843 in Sentul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 125% 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 $843, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.