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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $884 in Sibu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,308 in Sibu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,733 in Sibu, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 43% more than Sibu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sibu are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Sibu 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.18 MYR 8.91

432.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$19.54 MYR 79.8

141.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.20 MYR 17.16

182.86%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.36 MYR 9.65

68.64%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.67 MYR 2.73

113.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.24 MYR 0.98

241.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$3.02 MYR 12.32

5.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$4.30 MYR 17.55

57.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.77 MYR 7.23

-5.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.84 MYR 3.41

161.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.31 MYR 5.34

30.53%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.97 MYR 8.06

39.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$15.04 MYR 61.4

-36.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.22 MYR 17.22

113.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.14 MYR 41.40

26.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.24 MYR 13.24

-10.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.84 MYR 7.53

-18.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.74 MYR 11.18

-21.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.50 MYR 6.13

50.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.26 MYR 5.12

57.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.20 MYR 4.90

65.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.08 MYR 4.41

13.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.50 MYR 2.05

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.52 MYR 18.45

0.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$20.54 MYR 83.9

-49.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$3.00 MYR 12.23

-46.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$3.66 MYR 14.93

-21.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.66 MYR 2.69

-9.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$14.00 MYR 57.2

105.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.31 MYR 5.33

311.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.44 MYR 1.80

747.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$8.43 MYR 34.41

-31.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.66 MYR 2.71

133.33%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$36.0K MYR 146.9K

-37.34%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$35.2K MYR 143.8K

-26.01%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$49.25 MYR 201

85.54%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$7.19 MYR 29.34

250.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$26.77 MYR 109

16.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$27.76 MYR 113

142.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$6.44 MYR 26.30

352.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$3.65 MYR 14.89

33.15%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$180 MYR 735

24.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$4,923 MYR 20.1K

-14.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$61.3 MYR 250

-23.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$36.18 MYR 148

22.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$93.0 MYR 380

-13.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$69.4 MYR 283

33.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$416 MYR 1,696

155.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$359 MYR 1,466

8.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$784 MYR 3,201

174.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$449 MYR 1,832

183.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,916 MYR 7,822

108.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,147 MYR 4,682

466.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$499 MYR 2,037

51.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.2

172.62%

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 Sibu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $416 in Sibu. 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 52% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $20.00 in Sibu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $261 – making Sibu 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 Sibu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 43%, 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 $1,325 in Sibu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sibu, 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 $884 in Sibu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 106% less in Sibu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sibu, where all-in costs run around $884, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Sibu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sibu – 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 Sibu. 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.