Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sentul and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Sentul: $888 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Sentul
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Sentul Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

Sentul

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$888

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,202

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sentul and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sentul and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $888 per month in Sentul vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sentul $888
Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $1,370 per month in Sentul vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sentul $1,370
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1,853 per month in Sentul vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sentul $1,853
Playa del Carmen $2,962

Sentul is about 26% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Sentul and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sentul 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 MYR 15.19

$10.67 MX$199

-64.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.21 MYR 90.2

$43.80 MX$815

-49.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 MYR 20.30

$11.79 MX$219

-57.59%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 12.11

$3.79 MX$70.5

-21.37%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.24

$1.30 MX$24.14

-38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.07

$0.83 MX$15.51

-38.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.22 MYR 13.07

$3.15 MX$58.6

2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.58 MYR 22.67

$4.93 MX$91.8

13.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MYR 6.76

$1.41 MX$26.22

17.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.31

$2.20 MX$40.86

-51.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.76

$1.47 MX$27.40

-3.40%

Eggs

$1.73 MYR 7.04

$2.50 MX$46.47

-30.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.74 MYR 39.56

$7.29 MX$136

33.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 MYR 13.35

$7.95 MX$148

-58.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.29 MYR 37.71

$12.86 MX$239

-27.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 MYR 13.83

$2.90 MX$53.9

17.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 MYR 6.99

$1.38 MX$25.74

24.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 MYR 10.99

$2.49 MX$46.36

8.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.59

$2.03 MX$37.78

-20.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 6.00

$2.02 MX$37.69

-26.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.77

$1.90 MX$35.42

-12.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 MYR 5.40

$1.14 MX$21.30

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.06

$1.24 MX$23.06

-58.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.37 MYR 17.77

$4.27 MX$79.5

2.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 MYR 58.3

$9.81 MX$183

46.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 11.18

$1.59 MX$29.51

72.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 MYR 12.76

$2.75 MX$51.1

14.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.91

$0.51 MX$9.58

41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.26 MYR 49.81

$27.39 MX$510

-55.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$4.76 MX$88.6

-78.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 MYR 1.44

$3.25 MX$60.5

-89.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.69 MYR 35.29

$5.39 MX$100

61.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 MYR 3.35

$1.53 MX$28.44

-45.75%

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

$43.5K MYR 176.5K

$21.2K MX$394.8K

104.85%

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

$36.2K MYR 146.9K

$23.3K MX$432.9K

55.47%

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

$48.50 MYR 197

$83.5 MX$1,554

-41.91%

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

$8.07 MYR 32.77

$23.19 MX$431

-65.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.19 MYR 110

$27.61 MX$514

-1.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.97 MYR 150

$56.4 MX$1,050

-34.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.39 MYR 25.96

$28.19 MX$525

-77.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MYR 19.96

$5.00 MX$93.1

-1.60%

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

$243 MYR 986

$207 MX$3,854

17.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,427 MYR 18.0K

$5,231 MX$97.4K

-15.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 MYR 205

$43.45 MX$809

16.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.33 MYR 66.3

$42.54 MX$792

-61.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MYR 319

$72.8 MX$1,354

7.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 MYR 343

$88.4 MX$1,645

-4.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 MYR 1,702

$995 MX$18.5K

-57.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 MYR 1,198

$382 MX$7,116

-22.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$731 MYR 2,970

$1,674 MX$31.2K

-56.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 MYR 2,245

$1,081 MX$20.1K

-48.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,002 MYR 8,129

$3,909 MX$72.7K

-48.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,182 MYR 4,801

$6,138 MX$114.2K

-80.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$881 MYR 3,578

$832 MX$15.5K

5.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

11.45

-64.54%

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

Last update for Sentul: November 3, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Sentul

$295 33.2%

Playa del Carmen

$382 31.8% 29.6% $87

Groceries & Markets

Sentul

$228 25.6%

Playa del Carmen

$257 21.4% 13.1% $30

Eating Out

Sentul

$113 12.8%

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.7% 76.9% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Sentul

$103 11.7%

Playa del Carmen

$111 9.3% 7.6% $7.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sentul

$84 9.4%

Playa del Carmen

$134 11.2% 60.3% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Sentul

$47 5.3%

Playa del Carmen

$66 5.5% 42% $20

Getting Around

Sentul

$18 2%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 182% $33

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $419 in Sentul versus $995 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 6% 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 $22 in Sentul versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $257 – making Sentul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Sentul

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

21:47 9:47 PM

08:47 8:47 AM

13 h behind Sentul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

100,000

149,923

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.246 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

100 MXN = 5.37 USD

100 MXN = 4.79 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 4.06 MYR (1 MYR = 0.246 USD). 1 EUR = 4.55 MYR (1 MYR = 0.22 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.86 MXN (100 MXN = 4.79 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Sentul Playa del Carmen 17,200 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Sentul
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 35%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,331 per month in Sentul and $1,804 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $419 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $888 in Sentul and $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Sentul about 26% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 55% less in Sentul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $888 in Sentul and $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $888 in Sentul to $1,202 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Sentul is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 26% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.