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 $841 per month in Sentul vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,264 per month in Sentul vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,687 per month in Sentul vs $3,082 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 37% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 MYR 14.08

$11.94 MX$209

-70.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 MYR 74.3

$42.75 MX$748

-56.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 MYR 18.69

$10.59 MX$185

-55.34%

Cappuccino

$2.83 MYR 11.20

$3.62 MX$63.4

-21.82%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.68

$1.47 MX$25.69

-53.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.76

$0.94 MX$16.51

-52.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.27

$3.09 MX$54.1

16.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 MYR 20.39

$4.46 MX$78.0

15.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 MYR 7.12

$1.43 MX$24.94

25.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 3.97

$1.88 MX$32.97

-46.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 MYR 7.14

$1.63 MX$28.50

11.04%

Eggs

$1.81 MYR 7.15

$2.64 MX$46.26

-31.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.48 MYR 41.41

$8.21 MX$144

27.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 MYR 13.33

$8.29 MX$145

-59.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 MYR 32.47

$11.10 MX$194

-25.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 MYR 10.54

$2.65 MX$46.40

0.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 MYR 5.71

$1.50 MX$26.26

-3.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 MYR 9.82

$1.99 MX$34.79

25.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.95

$2.08 MX$36.33

-39.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.46

$1.79 MX$31.29

-36.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.30

$2.18 MX$38.09

-38.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 MYR 3.45

$1.08 MX$18.84

-19.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 MYR 2.37

$1.04 MX$18.15

-42.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MYR 16.39

$3.97 MX$69.5

4.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.57 MYR 57.5

$10.20 MX$179

42.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 10.88

$1.73 MX$30.22

58.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.44

$2.50 MX$43.71

16.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.68

$0.52 MX$9.07

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.83 MYR 46.72

$26.97 MX$472

-56.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 MYR 3.99

$3.14 MX$55.0

-67.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$2.40 MX$42.04

-59.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.42 MYR 37.19

$3.09 MX$54.0

204.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.82

$1.27 MX$22.28

-63.78%

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

$31.8K MYR 125.5K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

2.86%

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

$28.1K MYR 111.0K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

20.52%

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

$40.35 MYR 159

$82.0 MX$1,435

-50.80%

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

$9.11 MYR 35.97

$22.45 MX$393

-59.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.66 MYR 93.5

$29.66 MX$519

-20.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 MYR 146

$51.9 MX$908

-28.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.76 MYR 22.73

$18.67 MX$327

-69.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.99 MYR 19.69

$4.97 MX$87.0

0.40%

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

$190 MYR 749

$198 MX$3,462

-4.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,898 MYR 27.2K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

30.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.7 MYR 260

$36.34 MX$636

80.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.85 MYR 110

$40.05 MX$701

-30.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.0 MYR 233

$79.9 MX$1,398

-26.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$48.36 MYR 191

$88.9 MX$1,555

-45.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,529

$963 MX$16.9K

-59.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 MYR 1,051

$465 MX$8,133

-42.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$632 MYR 2,496

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-60.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,867

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-60.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,791 MYR 7,076

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-54.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$920 MYR 3,634

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-85.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$922 MYR 3,643

$720 MX$12.6K

28.02%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Sentul versus $963 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 28% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $251 – 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 53%, 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 $1,261 per month in Sentul and $1,930 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 $841 in Sentul and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 128% 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 $841, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.