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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $951 per month in Tawau vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,399 per month in Tawau vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,847 per month in Tawau vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tawau is about 25% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tawau and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tawau 30% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 MYR 12.70

$11.60 MX$200

-73.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.83 MYR 81.0

$47.11 MX$812

-57.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.10 MYR 16.74

$11.88 MX$205

-65.49%

Cappuccino

$3.07 MYR 12.53

$3.98 MX$68.6

-22.86%

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

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.43 MX$24.60

-28.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MYR 1.56

$0.82 MX$14.22

-53.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 MYR 10.81

$3.19 MX$55.0

-16.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.36 MYR 17.79

$6.79 MX$117

-35.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 MYR 7.64

$1.68 MX$28.89

11.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 MYR 4.65

$2.20 MX$37.88

-48.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 MYR 6.10

$1.71 MX$29.45

-12.87%

Eggs

$2.00 MYR 8.17

$2.74 MX$47.26

-27.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.78 MYR 56.3

$9.58 MX$165

43.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 MYR 18.33

$9.01 MX$155

-50.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.84 MYR 40.18

$12.81 MX$221

-23.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.91

$2.89 MX$49.81

1.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 MYR 7.28

$1.50 MX$25.81

18.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 MYR 8.85

$2.15 MX$37.03

0.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.86 MYR 7.58

$2.26 MX$38.96

-17.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$1.98 MX$34.15

-39.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 MYR 4.16

$1.99 MX$34.30

-48.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.33 MYR 5.42

$1.23 MX$21.28

8.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MYR 2.30

$1.20 MX$20.63

-53.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 MYR 18.17

$4.55 MX$78.5

-2.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.95 MYR 77.4

$10.37 MX$179

82.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.82

$1.62 MX$27.91

79.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 MYR 13.81

$2.88 MX$49.67

17.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$0.60 MX$10.35

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.45 MYR 46.74

$28.80 MX$497

-60.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 MYR 4.87

$5.39 MX$92.9

-77.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.49 MYR 1.98

$3.73 MX$64.3

-86.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.00 MYR 32.64

$5.77 MX$99.5

38.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 MYR 2.97

$1.54 MX$26.48

-52.60%

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

$41.5K MYR 169.5K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

84.08%

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

$34.2K MYR 139.6K

$26.1K MX$449.3K

31.25%

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

$51.0 MYR 208

$91.4 MX$1,576

-44.21%

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

$10.52 MYR 42.93

$25.20 MX$435

-58.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.28 MYR 115

$31.24 MX$539

-9.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.62 MYR 174

$67.2 MX$1,159

-36.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.38 MYR 30.12

$29.11 MX$502

-74.65%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 MYR 14.77

$4.86 MX$83.8

-25.51%

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

$181 MYR 740

$224 MX$3,856

-19.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,615 MYR 22.9K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

32.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 MYR 212

$47.10 MX$812

10.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.14 MYR 123

$44.29 MX$764

-31.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.9 MYR 379

$80.1 MX$1,381

16.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.9 MYR 273

$92.7 MX$1,598

-27.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 MYR 1,558

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-64.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 MYR 1,167

$390 MX$6,728

-26.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 MYR 3,032

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-65.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$535 MYR 2,184

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-57.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,277 MYR 9,295

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-43.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,204 MYR 4,917

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-81.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$416 MYR 1,697

$758 MX$13.1K

-45.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

11.45

-63.32%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tawau: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Tawau versus $1,063 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 82% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Tawau versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $276 – making Tawau 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 33%, 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 $1,427 per month in Tawau and $1,899 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 Tawau, 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 $951 in Tawau and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 152% less in Tawau. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tawau, where all-in costs run around $951, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Tawau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tawau – 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 Tawau. 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.