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 $905 per month in Sentul vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,335 per month in Sentul vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,765 per month in Sentul vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sentul is about 28% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sentul and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sentul 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.26

$11.60 MX$199

-67.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.84 MYR 89.4

$47.11 MX$809

-53.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 MYR 20.46

$11.88 MX$204

-57.91%

Cappuccino

$2.96 MYR 12.13

$3.98 MX$68.2

-25.63%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.27

$1.43 MX$24.49

-44.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 MYR 1.91

$0.82 MX$14.16

-42.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MYR 13.27

$3.19 MX$54.7

1.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 MYR 23.03

$6.79 MX$117

-17.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MYR 7.14

$1.68 MX$28.76

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 MYR 4.39

$2.20 MX$37.71

-51.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.15

$1.71 MX$29.32

-12.28%

Eggs

$1.66 MYR 6.78

$2.74 MX$47.05

-39.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 MYR 39.91

$9.58 MX$164

1.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 MYR 13.18

$9.01 MX$155

-64.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.61 MYR 39.32

$12.81 MX$220

-24.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.15

$2.89 MX$49.58

19.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.83

$1.50 MX$25.70

11.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 MYR 11.03

$2.15 MX$36.87

25.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$2.26 MX$38.79

-25.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.96

$1.98 MX$34.00

-26.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.89

$1.99 MX$34.15

-15.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 MYR 5.39

$1.23 MX$21.18

7.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.13

$1.20 MX$20.54

-56.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 MYR 17.96

$4.55 MX$78.1

-3.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.87 MYR 56.8

$10.37 MX$178

33.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 MYR 11.12

$1.62 MX$27.79

67.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 MYR 12.87

$2.88 MX$49.44

9.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.85

$0.60 MX$10.30

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.47 MYR 55.1

$28.80 MX$494

-53.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 MYR 5.09

$5.39 MX$92.5

-76.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 MYR 1.47

$3.73 MX$64.0

-90.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.46 MYR 38.70

$5.77 MX$99.0

63.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 MYR 3.13

$1.54 MX$26.37

-50.65%

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

$42.1K MYR 172.1K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

86.50%

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

$32.2K MYR 131.6K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

23.43%

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

$49.62 MYR 203

$91.4 MX$1,569

-45.70%

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

$8.39 MYR 34.33

$25.20 MX$433

-66.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.63 MYR 109

$31.24 MX$536

-14.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.34 MYR 173

$67.2 MX$1,154

-36.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 MYR 27.15

$29.11 MX$500

-77.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.83 MYR 19.77

$4.86 MX$83.5

-0.62%

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

$164 MYR 673

$224 MX$3,839

-26.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,398 MYR 18.0K

$4,229 MX$72.6K

4.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 MYR 214

$47.10 MX$808

11.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.75 MYR 68.5

$44.29 MX$760

-62.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 MYR 318

$80.1 MX$1,375

-3.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.66 MYR 171

$92.7 MX$1,591

-55.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$420 MYR 1,719

$1,063 MX$18.2K

-60.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 MYR 1,166

$390 MX$6,698

-26.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$602 MYR 2,465

$2,149 MX$36.9K

-71.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$522 MYR 2,138

$1,272 MX$21.8K

-58.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,319 MYR 9,492

$4,001 MX$68.7K

-42.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,193 MYR 4,882

$6,502 MX$111.6K

-81.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$872 MYR 3,570

$758 MX$13.0K

15.04%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $420 in Sentul versus $1,063 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 15% 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 $22.00 in Sentul versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $276 – 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 40%, 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 $1,358 per month in Sentul and $1,899 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 $905 in Sentul and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 114% 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 $905, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.