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 $928 per month in Skudai vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,343 per month in Skudai vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,757 per month in Skudai vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Skudai is about 29% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Skudai and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Skudai 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.75 MYR 15.21

$11.96 MX$202

-68.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.01 MYR 89.3

$47.38 MX$801

-53.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 MYR 19.79

$11.75 MX$199

-58.47%

Cappuccino

$2.87 MYR 11.64

$4.12 MX$69.7

-30.34%

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

$0.84 MYR 3.42

$1.40 MX$23.66

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.70

$0.91 MX$15.43

-53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.43 MYR 13.90

$3.21 MX$54.2

6.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 MYR 23.70

$7.07 MX$120

-17.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 7.12

$1.68 MX$28.35

4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 MYR 4.18

$2.15 MX$36.36

-52.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.07

$1.77 MX$30.00

-15.25%

Eggs

$1.70 MYR 6.89

$2.82 MX$47.60

-39.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.64 MYR 39.10

$9.20 MX$156

4.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 MYR 13.07

$9.23 MX$156

-65.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 MYR 40.23

$12.64 MX$214

-21.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 MYR 13.58

$2.95 MX$49.90

13.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MYR 7.08

$1.58 MX$26.70

10.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 MYR 11.33

$2.22 MX$37.58

25.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MYR 6.66

$2.36 MX$39.96

-30.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.78

$1.99 MX$33.70

-28.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.75 MYR 7.11

$1.98 MX$33.47

-11.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$1.24 MX$20.97

6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.21

$1.21 MX$20.48

-55.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 MYR 17.91

$4.60 MX$77.8

-4.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.26 MYR 57.9

$10.52 MX$178

35.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MYR 10.90

$1.69 MX$28.60

59.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 MYR 12.28

$2.77 MX$46.91

9.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 MYR 3.10

$0.60 MX$10.19

26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.44 MYR 50.5

$29.70 MX$502

-58.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 MYR 4.99

$5.24 MX$88.5

-76.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 MYR 1.57

$3.65 MX$61.7

-89.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.39 MYR 38.11

$5.78 MX$97.8

62.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 MYR 2.95

$1.54 MX$26.01

-52.60%

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

$42.7K MYR 173.1K

$22.8K MX$385.5K

87.16%

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

$33.1K MYR 134.2K

$25.8K MX$436.5K

28.14%

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

$49.43 MYR 201

$90.7 MX$1,533

-45.48%

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

$8.43 MYR 34.20

$25.19 MX$426

-66.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.70 MYR 108

$31.75 MX$537

-15.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.50 MYR 168

$68.8 MX$1,163

-39.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.56 MYR 26.60

$29.37 MX$497

-77.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.59

$4.86 MX$82.2

4.53%

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

$162 MYR 657

$226 MX$3,816

-28.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,558 MYR 18.5K

$4,194 MX$70.9K

8.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 MYR 214

$47.38 MX$801

11.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.99 MYR 68.9

$43.45 MX$735

-60.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MYR 323

$80.2 MX$1,356

-0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.41 MYR 168

$91.4 MX$1,545

-54.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 MYR 1,732

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-60.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 MYR 1,354

$409 MX$6,910

-18.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 MYR 2,808

$1,972 MX$33.3K

-64.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 MYR 2,014

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-61.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,062 MYR 8,366

$4,046 MX$68.4K

-49.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,140 MYR 4,626

$6,704 MX$113.4K

-82.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

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 Skudai: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $427 in Skudai versus $1,086 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 $22.00 in Skudai versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $278 – 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 41%, 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 $1,391 per month in Skudai and $1,958 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 $928 in Skudai and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 139% 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 $928, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.