Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sungai Petani Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sungai Petani

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $883 in Sungai Petani, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,334 in Sungai Petani, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,785 in Sungai Petani, rent included.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.61 MYR 14.72

221.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$19.99 MYR 81.6

135.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$4.56 MYR 18.62

160.53%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.75 MYR 7.13

127.43%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.77 MYR 3.14

85.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.38 MYR 1.57

115.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$4.26 MYR 17.38

-25.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.00 MYR 12.26

126.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.85 MYR 7.56

-9.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.09 MYR 4.44

101.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.75 MYR 7.16

-2.29%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.20 MYR 8.97

24.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$9.48 MYR 38.68

1.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.35 MYR 17.78

107.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$8.60 MYR 35.09

48.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.90 MYR 11.82

-0.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.73 MYR 7.08

-13.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$2.49 MYR 10.15

-13.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.43 MYR 5.83

58.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.07 MYR 4.37

85.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.15 MYR 4.71

73.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$1.10 MYR 4.49

11.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.58 MYR 2.37

106.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$4.38 MYR 17.90

3.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$19.52 MYR 79.7

-46.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$3.03 MYR 12.39

-46.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$4.00 MYR 16.33

-28.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.77 MYR 3.16

-22.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$12.47 MYR 50.9

130.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.74 MYR 7.12

209.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.41 MYR 1.66

809.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$7.19 MYR 29.34

-19.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.48 MYR 1.97

220.83%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$42.4K MYR 173.0K

-46.78%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$34.4K MYR 140.6K

-24.35%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$36.98 MYR 151

147.11%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$10.10 MYR 41.25

149.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$19.78 MYR 80.7

57.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$40.50 MYR 165

65.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$6.49 MYR 26.51

348.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$2.98 MYR 12.16

63.09%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$425 MYR 1,735

-47.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$10.9K MYR 44.4K

-61.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$60.2 MYR 246

-21.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$34.80 MYR 142

27.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$74.7 MYR 305

7.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$68.8 MYR 281

34.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$411 MYR 1,679

158.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$309 MYR 1,260

26.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$690 MYR 2,817

211.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$491 MYR 2,005

159.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$2,045 MYR 8,349

95.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$1,136 MYR 4,640

472.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$501 MYR 2,047

51.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.24

170.05%

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 Sungai Petani: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $411 in Sungai Petani. 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 51% 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 Sungai Petani. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $242 – making Sungai Petani 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 Sungai Petani: 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 Sungai Petani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sungai Petani, 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 $883 in Sungai Petani. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 131% less in Sungai Petani. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sungai Petani, where all-in costs run around $883, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Sungai Petani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sungai Petani – 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 Sungai Petani. 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.