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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $900 per month in Sarawak vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,286 per month in Sarawak vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,673 per month in Sarawak vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sarawak is about 29% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sarawak and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sarawak 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 MYR 14.79

$11.87 MX$207

-69.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.77 MYR 76.4

$42.90 MX$747

-56.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 MYR 21.46

$10.65 MX$186

-50.42%

Cappuccino

$2.76 MYR 11.23

$3.45 MX$60.1

-20.00%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$1.50 MX$26.19

-50.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.95 MX$16.52

-58.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.91 MYR 32.16

$3.03 MX$52.7

161.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.29 MYR 33.71

$4.61 MX$80.3

79.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MYR 7.69

$1.38 MX$23.96

36.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$1.85 MX$32.18

-45.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 MYR 5.23

$1.61 MX$28.06

-19.88%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.28

$2.59 MX$45.18

-21.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.95 MYR 60.8

$8.26 MX$144

80.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.39

$8.37 MX$146

-69.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.68 MYR 39.35

$10.66 MX$186

-9.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 MYR 11.82

$2.63 MX$45.80

10.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.00

$1.49 MX$25.92

-0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.48

$1.92 MX$33.44

34.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.90

$2.09 MX$36.34

-30.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.97

$1.86 MX$32.35

-34.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 MYR 5.40

$2.26 MX$39.39

-41.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.09

$1.06 MX$18.51

-5.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 MYR 2.73

$1.09 MX$18.95

-38.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 17.46

$4.15 MX$72.3

3.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MYR 70.9

$10.39 MX$181

67.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 MYR 11.49

$1.72 MX$30.03

63.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 MYR 12.15

$2.61 MX$45.52

14.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MYR 2.82

$0.54 MX$9.44

27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.98 MYR 48.71

$26.94 MX$469

-55.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 MYR 4.67

$3.13 MX$54.5

-63.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.99

$2.51 MX$43.73

-60.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 MYR 24.06

$3.15 MX$54.9

87.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$1.27 MX$22.21

-61.42%

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

$34.9K MYR 142.1K

$30.4K MX$529.1K

15.02%

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

$31.9K MYR 129.8K

$23.6K MX$410.5K

35.40%

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

$43.20 MYR 176

$83.0 MX$1,446

-47.95%

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

$8.94 MYR 36.36

$22.71 MX$396

-60.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.23 MYR 119

$29.46 MX$513

-0.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.24 MYR 151

$51.0 MX$888

-26.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 24.39

$18.33 MX$319

-67.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MYR 20.59

$4.93 MX$85.8

2.64%

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

$189 MYR 770

$197 MX$3,437

-4.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,935 MYR 28.2K

$5,280 MX$92.0K

31.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.81 MYR 150

$36.90 MX$643

-0.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.24 MYR 160

$39.89 MX$695

-1.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 MYR 313

$80.0 MX$1,394

-3.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.1 MYR 228

$89.5 MX$1,559

-37.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 MYR 1,317

$956 MX$16.7K

-66.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 MYR 1,095

$477 MX$8,311

-43.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MYR 2,052

$1,646 MX$28.7K

-69.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 MYR 1,463

$1,225 MX$21.3K

-70.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,935 MYR 7,870

$3,918 MX$68.3K

-50.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$973 MYR 3,956

$6,459 MX$112.5K

-84.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 MYR 1,708

$667 MX$11.6K

-37.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

11.42

-64.36%

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

Last update for Sarawak: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $324 in Sarawak versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. 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 59% 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 $19.00 in Sarawak versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $250 – making Sarawak 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

Sarawak vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 41%, 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 $1,350 per month in Sarawak and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sarawak, 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 $900 in Sarawak and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 125% less in Sarawak. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sarawak, where all-in costs run around $900, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Sarawak it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sarawak – 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 Sarawak. 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.