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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $824 in Sungai Petani, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,254 in Sungai Petani, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,684 in Sungai Petani, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 52% 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 6% lower, Sungai Petani 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.07 MYR 12.57

290.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$20.95 MYR 85.7

99.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$4.16 MYR 17.01

158.41%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.66 MYR 6.80

110.84%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.49 MYR 2.02

195.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.25 MYR 1.02

252.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$4.49 MYR 18.36

-34.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$2.84 MYR 11.62

58.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.82 MYR 7.44

-21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.68 MYR 2.80

170.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.25 MYR 5.12

25.60%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.13 MYR 8.70

17.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$14.89 MYR 60.9

-44.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.60 MYR 14.73

134.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$9.79 MYR 40.05

9.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.91 MYR 11.91

-10.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.52 MYR 6.21

-5.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.72 MYR 11.14

-27.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.10 MYR 8.59

-0.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.18 MYR 4.84

56.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.16 MYR 4.76

87.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.90 MYR 3.69

14.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.46 MYR 1.87

132.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$3.99 MYR 16.33

2.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$18.87 MYR 77.2

-46.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.70 MYR 11.04

-37.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.47 MYR 14.20

-27.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.70 MYR 2.85

-27.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$11.96 MYR 48.94

117.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.74 MYR 3.04

336.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.50 MYR 2.04

382.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$7.02 MYR 28.71

-53.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.50 MYR 2.05

164.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$32.9K MYR 134.7K

-9.83%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$27.2K MYR 111.4K

-13.09%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$39.01 MYR 160

110.23%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$9.93 MYR 40.63

131.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$31.39 MYR 128

-4.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$36.48 MYR 149

42.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$5.92 MYR 24.22

213.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$2.79 MYR 11.41

78.49%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$240 MYR 983

-17.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$6,266 MYR 25.6K

-14.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$54.0 MYR 221

-34.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$28.31 MYR 116

42.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$62.3 MYR 255

26.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$53.8 MYR 220

65.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$384 MYR 1,571

146.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$270 MYR 1,106

75.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$634 MYR 2,593

159.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$479 MYR 1,960

152.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,051 MYR 8,389

97.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,180 MYR 4,826

448.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$494 MYR 2,020

32.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.16

174.52%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Sungai Petani: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $384 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 32% 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 $21.00 in Sungai Petani. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $249 in Sungai Petani – 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 Sungai Petani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 52%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,236 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $824 in Sungai Petani. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 118% 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 $824, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.