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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $807 in Skudai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,223 in Skudai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,639 in Skudai, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$3.53 MYR 14.31

236.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$19.18 MYR 77.8

123.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$4.83 MYR 19.59

120.50%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$2.97 MYR 12.06

16.16%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$0.69 MYR 2.79

117.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$0.39 MYR 1.59

143.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$3.61 MYR 14.66

-16.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$5.10 MYR 20.70

-9.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$1.83 MYR 7.42

-24.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.01 MYR 4.10

83.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$1.25 MYR 5.08

28.80%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$1.80 MYR 7.29

43.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$10.82 MYR 43.91

-23.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$3.44 MYR 13.97

143.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$8.31 MYR 33.72

28.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$2.69 MYR 10.91

-2.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$1.51 MYR 6.15

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$2.58 MYR 10.45

-25.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$1.24 MYR 5.04

68.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$1.18 MYR 4.81

57.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$1.37 MYR 5.57

64.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$0.94 MYR 3.81

12.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$0.52 MYR 2.11

109.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$4.17 MYR 16.90

-0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$14.43 MYR 58.6

-28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$2.78 MYR 11.26

-38.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$2.97 MYR 12.07

-12.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$0.68 MYR 2.78

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$11.65 MYR 47.28

131.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$0.98 MYR 3.99

219.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$0.98 MYR 3.98

156.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$9.51 MYR 38.60

-66.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$0.49 MYR 2.01

159.18%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$31.5K MYR 128.0K

-3.70%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$27.8K MYR 112.7K

-15.13%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$41.22 MYR 167

101.36%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$8.87 MYR 35.98

156.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$22.56 MYR 91.6

30.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$36.97 MYR 150

37.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$5.99 MYR 24.30

206.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$4.88 MYR 19.82

1.02%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$189 MYR 766

4.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$6,831 MYR 27.7K

-22.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$48.40 MYR 196

-23.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$18.80 MYR 76.3

112.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$59.5 MYR 241

34.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$47.35 MYR 192

88.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$387 MYR 1,571

146.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$267 MYR 1,082

78.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$638 MYR 2,590

157.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$470 MYR 1,908

160.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$1,940 MYR 7,872

101.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$1,095 MYR 4,443

489.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Skudai: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $387 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Skudai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,211 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $807 in Skudai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 131% 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 $807, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.