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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $807 per month in Skudai vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Skudai vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,639 per month in Skudai vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Skudai is about 36% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skudai and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Skudai 40% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.53 MYR 14.31

$11.87 MX$207

-70.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.18 MYR 77.8

$42.90 MX$749

-55.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 MYR 19.59

$10.65 MX$186

-54.65%

Cappuccino

$2.97 MYR 12.06

$3.45 MX$60.2

-13.91%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.79

$1.50 MX$26.24

-54.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.59

$0.95 MX$16.56

-58.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 MYR 14.66

$3.03 MX$52.8

19.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 MYR 20.70

$4.61 MX$80.4

10.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 MYR 7.42

$1.38 MX$24.01

32.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 MYR 4.10

$1.85 MX$32.24

-45.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 5.08

$1.61 MX$28.11

-22.36%

Eggs

$1.80 MYR 7.29

$2.59 MX$45.26

-30.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 MYR 43.91

$8.26 MX$144

30.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 MYR 13.97

$8.37 MX$146

-58.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.31 MYR 33.72

$10.66 MX$186

-22.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MYR 10.91

$2.63 MX$45.89

2.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 6.15

$1.49 MX$25.96

1.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 MYR 10.45

$1.92 MX$33.50

34.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.04

$2.09 MX$36.41

-40.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.81

$1.86 MX$32.42

-36.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 MYR 5.57

$2.26 MX$39.47

-39.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.81

$1.06 MX$18.54

-11.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.11

$1.09 MX$18.98

-52.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.17 MYR 16.90

$4.15 MX$72.4

0.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.43 MYR 58.6

$10.39 MX$181

38.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 MYR 11.26

$1.72 MX$30.09

61.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 MYR 12.07

$2.61 MX$45.60

13.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.78

$0.54 MX$9.46

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.65 MYR 47.28

$26.94 MX$470

-56.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.99

$3.13 MX$54.6

-68.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.98

$2.51 MX$43.82

-60.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.51 MYR 38.60

$3.15 MX$55.0

201.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.01

$1.27 MX$22.25

-61.42%

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

$31.5K MYR 128.0K

$30.4K MX$530.1K

3.84%

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

$27.8K MYR 112.7K

$23.6K MX$411.3K

17.83%

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

$41.22 MYR 167

$83.0 MX$1,449

-50.34%

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

$8.87 MYR 35.98

$22.71 MX$396

-60.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.56 MYR 91.6

$29.46 MX$514

-23.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.97 MYR 150

$51.0 MX$890

-27.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 MYR 24.30

$18.33 MX$320

-67.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.88 MYR 19.82

$4.93 MX$86.0

-1.01%

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

$189 MYR 766

$197 MX$3,444

-4.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,831 MYR 27.7K

$5,280 MX$92.1K

29.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.40 MYR 196

$36.90 MX$644

31.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.80 MYR 76.3

$39.89 MX$696

-52.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.5 MYR 241

$80.0 MX$1,396

-25.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.35 MYR 192

$89.5 MX$1,561

-47.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 MYR 1,571

$956 MX$16.7K

-59.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MYR 1,082

$477 MX$8,327

-44.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 MYR 2,590

$1,646 MX$28.7K

-61.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MYR 1,908

$1,225 MX$21.4K

-61.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,940 MYR 7,872

$3,918 MX$68.4K

-50.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,095 MYR 4,443

$6,459 MX$112.7K

-83.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

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 Skudai: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 in Skudai 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Skudai versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $250 – making Skudai 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 57%, 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 $1,211 per month in Skudai 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 Skudai, 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 $807 in Skudai 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 131% less in Skudai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Skudai, where all-in costs run around $807, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Skudai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skudai – 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 Skudai. 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.