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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $865 in Tawau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,320 in Tawau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,776 in Tawau, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 47% more than Tawau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Tawau are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Tawau 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.63 MYR 14.72

227.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$18.66 MYR 75.7

129.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$4.06 MYR 16.46

162.32%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.23 MYR 9.03

54.71%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.77 MYR 3.13

94.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.40 MYR 1.62

137.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.29 MYR 9.29

32.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.39 MYR 13.75

35.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.60 MYR 6.49

-13.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.31 MYR 5.30

41.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.68 MYR 6.83

-4.17%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.04 MYR 8.29

26.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$14.84 MYR 60.2

-44.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.26 MYR 17.27

96.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$9.70 MYR 39.33

9.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.99 MYR 12.13

-12.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.48 MYR 5.99

0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.62 MYR 10.62

-26.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.39 MYR 5.64

50.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.24 MYR 5.05

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.26 MYR 5.12

79.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.00 MYR 4.07

6.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.55 MYR 2.23

98.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$4.20 MYR 17.02

-1.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$19.12 MYR 77.5

-45.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.75 MYR 11.17

-37.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.91 MYR 11.82

-10.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.68 MYR 2.76

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$11.97 MYR 48.52

125.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.16 MYR 4.70

169.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.04 MYR 4.21

141.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$6.04 MYR 24.50

-47.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.49 MYR 1.99

159.18%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$35.9K MYR 145.8K

-15.50%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$31.3K MYR 127.1K

-24.81%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$43.00 MYR 174

93.02%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$8.93 MYR 36.21

154.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$29.39 MYR 119

0.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$36.21 MYR 147

40.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$5.73 MYR 23.25

219.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$2.90 MYR 11.74

70.00%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$187 MYR 757

5.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$7,040 MYR 28.5K

-25.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$59.7 MYR 242

-38.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$27.46 MYR 111

45.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$73.5 MYR 298

8.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$50.5 MYR 205

77.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$391 MYR 1,584

144.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$268 MYR 1,087

77.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$643 MYR 2,609

155.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$468 MYR 1,897

161.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,168 MYR 8,790

80.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$985 MYR 3,993

555.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$421 MYR 1,708

58.32%

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 Tawau: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $391 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 58% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Tawau. Groceries tell a different story – $250 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 47%, 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 $1,298 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $865 in Tawau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 125% 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 $865, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.