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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $816 per month in Sentul vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,242 per month in Sentul vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,669 per month in Sentul vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sentul is about 35% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sentul and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sentul 39% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.60 MYR 14.70

$11.72 MX$203

-69.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.92 MYR 77.2

$41.89 MX$725

-54.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 MYR 19.28

$10.51 MX$182

-55.09%

Cappuccino

$2.69 MYR 10.98

$3.59 MX$62.0

-25.07%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.76

$1.51 MX$26.10

-54.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$0.92 MX$15.83

-46.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 MYR 14.85

$2.96 MX$51.2

22.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 MYR 20.97

$4.41 MX$76.3

16.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.45

$1.40 MX$24.16

30.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.13

$1.88 MX$32.60

-46.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.26

$1.56 MX$26.97

14.10%

Eggs

$1.82 MYR 7.43

$2.61 MX$45.14

-30.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 MYR 43.94

$8.32 MX$144

29.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.91

$8.35 MX$145

-59.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.09 MYR 33.03

$10.86 MX$188

-25.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 11.19

$2.71 MX$46.93

1.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.14

$1.51 MX$26.04

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MYR 10.42

$1.87 MX$32.41

36.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 MYR 4.97

$2.19 MX$37.89

-44.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.65

$1.86 MX$32.14

-38.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.69

$2.23 MX$38.59

-37.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 MYR 3.88

$1.07 MX$18.48

-11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.41

$1.09 MX$18.79

-45.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 MYR 16.77

$4.19 MX$72.4

-1.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.90 MYR 56.8

$10.43 MX$180

33.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 11.03

$1.66 MX$28.68

62.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.85

$2.61 MX$45.19

11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 3.02

$0.54 MX$9.37

37.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.01 MYR 49.02

$26.16 MX$453

-54.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.18

$3.08 MX$53.3

-66.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 4.02

$2.40 MX$41.61

-59.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.19 MYR 37.54

$3.13 MX$54.1

193.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$1.31 MX$22.69

-64.12%

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

$31.4K MYR 128.1K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

5.25%

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

$27.9K MYR 113.8K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

19.50%

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

$41.64 MYR 170

$81.3 MX$1,406

-48.77%

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

$9.14 MYR 37.30

$22.56 MX$390

-59.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.98 MYR 93.8

$30.05 MX$520

-23.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.23 MYR 148

$52.9 MX$915

-31.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.74 MYR 23.42

$18.39 MX$318

-68.79%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MYR 20.69

$4.92 MX$85.1

3.05%

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

$190 MYR 776

$201 MX$3,474

-5.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,842 MYR 27.9K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

32.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.4 MYR 263

$35.92 MX$622

79.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.21 MYR 115

$40.13 MX$694

-29.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.6 MYR 239

$79.7 MX$1,379

-26.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.03 MYR 196

$86.5 MX$1,496

-44.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 MYR 1,602

$978 MX$16.9K

-59.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$265 MYR 1,084

$470 MX$8,140

-43.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 MYR 2,584

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-61.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,931

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-60.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,330 MYR 9,511

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-41.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,020 MYR 4,165

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-84.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$877 MYR 3,581

$677 MX$11.7K

29.63%

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 Sentul: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $392 in Sentul versus $978 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 30% higher in Sentul, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Sentul versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $252 – making Sentul 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 55%, 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 $1,223 per month in Sentul and $1,890 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 Sentul, 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 $816 in Sentul and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 118% less in Sentul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sentul, where all-in costs run around $816, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Sentul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sentul – 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 Sentul. 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.