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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $802 in Sibu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,227 in Sibu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,652 in Sibu, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 57% more than Sibu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sibu are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sibu 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$2.16 MYR 8.84

442.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$8.61 MYR 35.20

386.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$4.18 MYR 17.10

151.44%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.08 MYR 8.50

72.60%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.63 MYR 2.59

139.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.23 MYR 0.93

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$2.85 MYR 11.65

3.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$5.08 MYR 20.77

-13.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.39 MYR 5.67

0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.35 MYR 5.53

39.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.15 MYR 4.70

35.65%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$1.53 MYR 6.24

70.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$14.98 MYR 61.2

-44.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$4.67 MYR 19.07

78.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$5.98 MYR 24.42

81.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.99 MYR 12.20

-9.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.16 MYR 4.75

30.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.93 MYR 7.87

-3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$3.50 MYR 14.29

-37.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.19 MYR 4.86

56.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$2.33 MYR 9.54

-4.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.05 MYR 4.28

1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$1.20 MYR 4.89

-9.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$4.06 MYR 16.58

3.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$19.77 MYR 80.8

-47.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.22 MYR 5.00

36.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$3.90 MYR 15.96

-33.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.72 MYR 2.96

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$11.95 MYR 48.84

118.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$1.21 MYR 4.94

154.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.99 MYR 4.06

142.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$5.80 MYR 23.70

-46.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$0.47 MYR 1.90

178.72%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$35.5K MYR 145.1K

-16.04%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$31.8K MYR 129.9K

-26.60%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$42.92 MYR 175

89.38%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$5.16 MYR 21.11

337.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$18.36 MYR 75.1

63.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$22.98 MYR 93.9

130.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$5.80 MYR 23.69

217.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$3.22 MYR 13.17

52.80%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$185 MYR 756

8.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$6,983 MYR 28.5K

-25.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$60.4 MYR 247

-40.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$27.03 MYR 110

48.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$71.7 MYR 293

11.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$49.94 MYR 204

73.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$392 MYR 1,603

149.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$269 MYR 1,097

75.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$653 MYR 2,670

152.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$465 MYR 1,899

159.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$2,325 MYR 9,502

70.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$1,259 MYR 5,145

424.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$489 MYR 1,998

38.40%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sibu: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $392 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 38% 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 $9.00 in Sibu. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $252 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 57%, 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 $1,204 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $802 in Sibu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 119% 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 $802, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.