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 $809 per month in Skudai vs $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,238 per month in Skudai vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,667 per month in Skudai vs $2,999 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 13.71

$11.67 MX$202

-70.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.65 MYR 73.7

$41.88 MX$726

-55.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.66 MYR 18.40

$10.40 MX$180

-55.19%

Cappuccino

$2.98 MYR 11.77

$3.61 MX$62.6

-17.45%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.89

$1.47 MX$25.45

-50.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.46

$0.91 MX$15.80

-59.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 MYR 13.84

$3.03 MX$52.6

15.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 MYR 19.43

$4.47 MX$77.4

10.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.40

$1.38 MX$23.83

35.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MYR 3.88

$1.84 MX$31.93

-46.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 MYR 4.95

$1.61 MX$27.82

-22.36%

Eggs

$1.88 MYR 7.41

$2.57 MX$44.52

-26.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 MYR 41.65

$8.49 MX$147

24.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 MYR 14.01

$8.49 MX$147

-58.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.36 MYR 33.02

$10.99 MX$190

-23.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.77 MYR 10.96

$2.73 MX$47.25

1.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MYR 5.97

$1.50 MX$25.92

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 MYR 9.87

$1.96 MX$33.93

27.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.74

$2.12 MX$36.70

-43.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.71

$1.86 MX$32.30

-36.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.32

$2.17 MX$37.67

-37.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 MYR 3.50

$1.07 MX$18.59

-16.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.03

$1.05 MX$18.18

-51.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 MYR 17.08

$4.19 MX$72.6

3.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.38 MYR 56.8

$10.28 MX$178

39.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 MYR 10.79

$1.67 MX$28.87

63.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 MYR 11.61

$2.49 MX$43.12

18.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 MYR 2.91

$0.54 MX$9.37

37.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.95 MYR 47.21

$26.27 MX$455

-54.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 MYR 3.99

$3.10 MX$53.8

-67.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MYR 3.93

$2.46 MX$42.66

-59.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.51 MYR 37.55

$3.24 MX$56.1

193.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.85

$1.26 MX$21.83

-62.70%

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

$31.5K MYR 124.4K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

4.42%

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

$27.6K MYR 109.1K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

17.84%

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

$40.65 MYR 161

$84.0 MX$1,456

-51.60%

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

$9.35 MYR 36.95

$22.21 MX$385

-57.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.69 MYR 89.6

$29.65 MX$514

-23.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.95 MYR 146

$52.6 MX$912

-29.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 MYR 23.68

$18.34 MX$318

-67.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.08 MYR 20.05

$4.95 MX$85.7

2.63%

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

$190 MYR 750

$198 MX$3,438

-4.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,814 MYR 26.9K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

28.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.26 MYR 195

$35.95 MX$623

37.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.59 MYR 73.5

$40.06 MX$694

-53.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 MYR 237

$78.8 MX$1,365

-23.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.05 MYR 186

$86.5 MX$1,499

-45.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 MYR 1,527

$977 MX$16.9K

-60.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 MYR 1,071

$471 MX$8,158

-42.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 MYR 2,507

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-60.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 MYR 1,868

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-61.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,753 MYR 6,923

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-56.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$880 MYR 3,477

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-86.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $386 in Skudai versus $977 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 in Skudai versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 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 56%, 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 $1,213 per month in Skudai and $1,891 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 $809 in Skudai and $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 120% 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 $809, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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.