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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $821 in Sibu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,237 in Sibu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,653 in Sibu, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 58% more than Sibu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sibu are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Sibu 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.10 MYR 8.43

458.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$8.41 MYR 33.74

394.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.00 MYR 16.03

166.00%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$2.13 MYR 8.52

65.26%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.60 MYR 2.39

151.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.23 MYR 0.92

321.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.84 MYR 11.40

3.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$4.95 MYR 19.86

-10.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.39 MYR 5.56

-0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.33 MYR 5.32

42.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.20 MYR 4.81

36.67%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$1.55 MYR 6.22

61.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$14.94 MYR 59.9

-44.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.68 MYR 18.77

78.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$5.93 MYR 23.78

80.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$3.04 MYR 12.20

-14.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.21 MYR 4.83

20.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.87 MYR 7.50

1.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$3.48 MYR 13.95

-40.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$1.25 MYR 5.00

42.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$2.31 MYR 9.27

-5.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$0.99 MYR 3.99

5.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.20 MYR 4.83

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$3.94 MYR 15.81

3.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$18.02 MYR 72.3

-42.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$1.22 MYR 4.88

40.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$4.09 MYR 16.41

-36.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.73 MYR 2.92

-30.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$11.84 MYR 47.46

123.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.20 MYR 4.80

171.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.98 MYR 3.93

154.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$5.83 MYR 23.38

-44.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$0.50 MYR 1.99

162.00%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$34.7K MYR 139.2K

-12.80%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$31.4K MYR 125.7K

-25.28%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$43.93 MYR 176

88.64%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$5.12 MYR 20.53

333.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$18.25 MYR 73.2

60.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$23.20 MYR 93.1

122.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$5.79 MYR 23.20

216.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$3.09 MYR 12.40

64.08%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$190 MYR 762

5.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,990 MYR 28.0K

-25.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$61.0 MYR 245

-39.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$27.04 MYR 108

47.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$72.0 MYR 289

9.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$50.2 MYR 201

73.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$384 MYR 1,540

153.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$271 MYR 1,085

72.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$650 MYR 2,606

152.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$464 MYR 1,863

162.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$2,217 MYR 8,890

78.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$869 MYR 3,484

647.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$511 MYR 2,048

29.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.25

168.71%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sibu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $384 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 30% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $8.00 in Sibu. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $249 in Sibu – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 58%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,232 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $821 in Sibu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 123% 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 $821, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.