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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $868 in Tawau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,322 in Tawau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,776 in Tawau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 45% more than Tawau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tawau are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Tawau 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$3.47 MYR 13.70

236.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$18.87 MYR 74.5

121.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$4.15 MYR 16.41

150.60%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.24 MYR 8.83

61.16%

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

$0.36 MYR 1.43

152.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.34 MYR 9.26

29.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$3.24 MYR 12.81

37.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.53 MYR 6.05

-9.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.37 MYR 5.43

34.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.67 MYR 6.61

-3.59%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.07 MYR 8.16

24.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$15.18 MYR 60.0

-44.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.23 MYR 16.71

100.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$9.64 MYR 38.06

14.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$2.84 MYR 11.20

-3.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.52 MYR 6.02

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$2.52 MYR 9.94

-22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.38 MYR 5.46

53.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.23 MYR 4.85

51.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.29 MYR 5.08

68.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.04 MYR 4.10

2.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.56 MYR 2.23

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$4.35 MYR 17.18

-3.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$19.25 MYR 76.1

-46.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$2.79 MYR 11.00

-40.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.89 MYR 11.42

-13.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.72 MYR 2.85

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$11.88 MYR 46.93

121.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$1.15 MYR 4.55

169.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$1.02 MYR 4.04

141.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$5.93 MYR 23.44

-45.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$0.46 MYR 1.83

173.91%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$35.2K MYR 139.0K

-14.30%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$31.7K MYR 125.3K

-26.12%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$43.44 MYR 172

93.35%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$9.23 MYR 36.46

140.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$29.51 MYR 117

0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$37.18 MYR 147

41.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$5.98 MYR 23.61

206.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$2.82 MYR 11.13

75.53%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$184 MYR 727

7.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$6,823 MYR 27.0K

-22.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$61.8 MYR 244

-41.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$27.81 MYR 110

44.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$73.4 MYR 290

7.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$51.5 MYR 203

67.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$393 MYR 1,551

148.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$272 MYR 1,075

72.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$640 MYR 2,529

149.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$465 MYR 1,837

161.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$1,911 MYR 7,550

110.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$908 MYR 3,586

624.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$434 MYR 1,714

64.54%

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 Tawau: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $393 in Tawau. 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 65% 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $19 in Tawau. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $255 in Tawau – 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 Tawau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 45%, 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 $1,302 in Tawau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tawau, 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 $868 in Tawau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 121% less in Tawau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tawau, where all-in costs run around $868, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Tawau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tawau – 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 Tawau. 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.