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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $809 in Skudai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,238 in Skudai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,667 in Skudai, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 56% more than Skudai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Skudai are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Skudai 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$3.47 MYR 13.71

236.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$18.65 MYR 73.7

124.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$4.66 MYR 18.40

123.18%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.98 MYR 11.77

21.14%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.73 MYR 2.89

101.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.37 MYR 1.46

145.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$3.50 MYR 13.84

-13.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$4.92 MYR 19.43

-9.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.87 MYR 7.40

-26.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.98 MYR 3.88

87.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.25 MYR 4.95

28.80%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$1.88 MYR 7.41

36.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$10.54 MYR 41.65

-19.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$3.55 MYR 14.01

139.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$8.36 MYR 33.02

31.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$2.77 MYR 10.96

-1.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.51 MYR 5.97

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$2.50 MYR 9.87

-21.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.20 MYR 4.74

76.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.19 MYR 4.71

56.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.35 MYR 5.32

60.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.89 MYR 3.50

20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.51 MYR 2.03

105.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$4.32 MYR 17.08

-3.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$14.38 MYR 56.8

-28.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$2.73 MYR 10.79

-38.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.94 MYR 11.61

-15.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.74 MYR 2.91

-27.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$11.95 MYR 47.21

119.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$1.01 MYR 3.99

206.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.99 MYR 3.93

148.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$9.51 MYR 37.55

-65.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.47 MYR 1.85

168.09%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$31.5K MYR 124.4K

-4.23%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$27.6K MYR 109.1K

-15.14%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$40.65 MYR 161

106.62%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$9.35 MYR 36.95

137.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$22.69 MYR 89.6

30.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$36.95 MYR 146

42.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$5.99 MYR 23.68

206.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$5.08 MYR 20.05

-2.56%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$190 MYR 750

4.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$6,814 MYR 26.9K

-21.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$49.26 MYR 195

-27.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$18.59 MYR 73.5

115.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$60.1 MYR 237

31.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$47.05 MYR 186

83.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$386 MYR 1,527

152.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$271 MYR 1,071

73.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$635 MYR 2,507

151.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$473 MYR 1,868

156.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$1,753 MYR 6,923

130.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$880 MYR 3,477

647.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Skudai: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $386 in Skudai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $19 in Skudai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $219 – making Skudai 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 Skudai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 56%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,213 in Skudai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Skudai, 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $809 in Skudai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 120% less in Skudai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Skudai, where all-in costs run around $809, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Skudai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skudai – 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 Skudai. 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.