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 $828 per month in Skudai vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,256 per month in Skudai vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,683 per month in Skudai vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Skudai is about 34% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skudai and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Skudai 38% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 MYR 14.29

$11.95 MX$209

-70.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.56 MYR 75.9

$41.94 MX$734

-55.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 MYR 19.57

$10.42 MX$182

-54.13%

Cappuccino

$2.99 MYR 12.21

$3.51 MX$61.5

-14.81%

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

$0.71 MYR 2.91

$1.52 MX$26.53

-53.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.61

$0.91 MX$15.93

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 MYR 14.09

$3.04 MX$53.2

13.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 MYR 20.53

$4.37 MX$76.5

14.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.63

$1.42 MX$24.86

31.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 MYR 3.87

$1.83 MX$32.03

-48.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.34

$1.63 MX$28.60

-19.63%

Eggs

$1.89 MYR 7.72

$2.54 MX$44.43

-25.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 MYR 43.34

$8.57 MX$150

23.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 MYR 14.08

$8.49 MX$149

-59.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 MYR 33.52

$10.80 MX$189

-24.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 11.35

$2.75 MX$48.19

0.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.23

$1.44 MX$25.13

5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.14

$1.89 MX$33.00

31.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.17

$2.17 MX$37.96

-41.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 MYR 4.80

$1.78 MX$31.13

-34.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.65

$2.22 MX$38.91

-37.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 MYR 3.84

$1.07 MX$18.70

-12.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.15

$1.08 MX$18.89

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 MYR 17.70

$4.15 MX$72.5

4.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 MYR 57.9

$10.45 MX$183

35.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MYR 11.18

$1.74 MX$30.50

56.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.91

$2.58 MX$45.16

12.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 MYR 2.98

$0.51 MX$8.98

43.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.85 MYR 48.46

$25.94 MX$454

-54.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 MYR 4.19

$3.21 MX$56.2

-68.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 4.04

$2.50 MX$43.78

-60.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.40 MYR 38.44

$3.19 MX$55.7

194.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 MYR 2.03

$1.26 MX$21.98

-60.32%

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

$31.3K MYR 127.9K

$29.7K MX$519.3K

5.37%

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

$27.6K MYR 112.8K

$23.7K MX$414.3K

16.51%

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

$41.03 MYR 168

$82.0 MX$1,435

-49.98%

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

$8.90 MYR 36.42

$22.73 MX$398

-60.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.17 MYR 94.8

$29.42 MX$515

-21.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.67 MYR 150

$52.2 MX$913

-29.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.74 MYR 23.46

$18.45 MX$323

-68.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.83 MYR 19.74

$4.93 MX$86.3

-2.03%

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

$187 MYR 765

$202 MX$3,530

-7.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,839 MYR 28.0K

$5,217 MX$91.3K

31.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.19 MYR 197

$35.93 MX$629

34.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.56 MYR 75.9

$40.33 MX$706

-53.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.2 MYR 238

$79.9 MX$1,397

-27.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.25 MYR 193

$89.3 MX$1,562

-47.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 MYR 1,585

$948 MX$16.6K

-59.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,096

$465 MX$8,140

-42.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,621

$1,630 MX$28.5K

-60.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 MYR 1,920

$1,193 MX$20.9K

-60.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,945 MYR 7,955

$3,933 MX$68.8K

-50.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,258 MYR 5,143

$6,428 MX$112.4K

-80.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $388 in Skudai versus $948 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $252 – 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 52%, 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 $1,242 per month in Skudai and $1,888 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 $828 in Skudai and $1,259 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 119% 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 $828, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. 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.