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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $816 in Sentul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,242 in Sentul, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,669 in Sentul, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 55% more than Sentul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sentul are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sentul 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.60 MYR 14.70

225.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$18.92 MYR 77.2

121.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.72 MYR 19.28

122.67%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.69 MYR 10.98

33.46%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.68 MYR 2.76

122.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.49 MYR 2.00

87.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.64 MYR 14.85

-18.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$5.14 MYR 20.97

-14.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.83 MYR 7.45

-23.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.01 MYR 4.13

86.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.78 MYR 7.26

-12.36%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.82 MYR 7.43

43.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$10.76 MYR 43.94

-22.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.41 MYR 13.91

144.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$8.09 MYR 33.03

34.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.74 MYR 11.19

-1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.50 MYR 6.14

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.55 MYR 10.42

-26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.22 MYR 4.97

79.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.14 MYR 4.65

63.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.39 MYR 5.69

60.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.95 MYR 3.88

12.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.59 MYR 2.41

84.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.11 MYR 16.77

1.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$13.90 MYR 56.8

-24.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.70 MYR 11.03

-38.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.90 MYR 11.85

-10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.74 MYR 3.02

-27.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$12.01 MYR 49.02

117.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.02 MYR 4.18

201.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.98 MYR 4.02

144.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$9.19 MYR 37.54

-65.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.47 MYR 1.92

178.72%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$31.4K MYR 128.1K

-4.99%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$27.9K MYR 113.8K

-16.32%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$41.64 MYR 170

95.20%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$9.14 MYR 37.30

146.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$22.98 MYR 93.8

30.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$36.23 MYR 148

46.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$5.74 MYR 23.42

220.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.07 MYR 20.69

-2.96%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$190 MYR 776

5.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$6,842 MYR 27.9K

-24.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$64.4 MYR 263

-44.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$28.21 MYR 115

42.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$58.6 MYR 239

36.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$48.03 MYR 196

80.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$392 MYR 1,602

149.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$265 MYR 1,084

77.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$633 MYR 2,584

160.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$473 MYR 1,931

154.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,330 MYR 9,511

69.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,020 MYR 4,165

547.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$877 MYR 3,581

-22.86%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sentul: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $392 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 30% 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: $252 vs $220 – 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 55%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,223 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $816 in Sentul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 118% 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 $816, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.