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 $865 per month in Tawau vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,320 per month in Tawau vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,776 per month in Tawau vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Tawau is about 32% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Tawau and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Tawau 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 MYR 14.72

$11.87 MX$204

-69.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.66 MYR 75.7

$42.90 MX$736

-56.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.06 MYR 16.46

$10.65 MX$183

-61.88%

Cappuccino

$2.23 MYR 9.03

$3.45 MX$59.2

-35.36%

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

$0.77 MYR 3.13

$1.50 MX$25.81

-48.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.62

$0.95 MX$16.28

-57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.29 MYR 9.29

$3.03 MX$51.9

-24.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 MYR 13.75

$4.61 MX$79.1

-26.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 MYR 6.49

$1.38 MX$23.61

15.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 MYR 5.30

$1.85 MX$31.70

-29.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 MYR 6.83

$1.61 MX$27.65

4.35%

Eggs

$2.04 MYR 8.29

$2.59 MX$44.51

-21.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.84 MYR 60.2

$8.26 MX$142

79.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 MYR 17.27

$8.37 MX$144

-49.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 MYR 39.33

$10.66 MX$183

-9.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 MYR 12.13

$2.63 MX$45.12

13.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.99

$1.49 MX$25.53

-0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MYR 10.62

$1.92 MX$32.94

36.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 MYR 5.64

$2.09 MX$35.81

-33.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 MYR 5.05

$1.86 MX$31.88

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$2.26 MX$38.81

-44.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$1.06 MX$18.23

-5.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 MYR 2.23

$1.09 MX$18.67

-49.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.02

$4.15 MX$71.2

1.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 MYR 77.5

$10.39 MX$178

84.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MYR 11.17

$1.72 MX$29.59

59.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.82

$2.61 MX$44.85

11.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.76

$0.54 MX$9.30

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 MYR 48.52

$26.94 MX$462

-55.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.70

$3.13 MX$53.7

-62.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 MYR 4.21

$2.51 MX$43.09

-58.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 MYR 24.50

$3.15 MX$54.1

91.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.99

$1.27 MX$21.88

-61.42%

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

$35.9K MYR 145.8K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

18.35%

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

$31.3K MYR 127.1K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

32.99%

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

$43.00 MYR 174

$83.0 MX$1,425

-48.19%

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

$8.93 MYR 36.21

$22.71 MX$390

-60.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.39 MYR 119

$29.46 MX$506

-0.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.21 MYR 147

$51.0 MX$875

-29.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.73 MYR 23.25

$18.33 MX$315

-68.74%

Cinema Ticket

$2.90 MYR 11.74

$4.93 MX$84.5

-41.18%

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

$187 MYR 757

$197 MX$3,386

-5.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,040 MYR 28.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

33.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 MYR 242

$36.90 MX$633

61.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.46 MYR 111

$39.89 MX$685

-31.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 MYR 298

$80.0 MX$1,373

-8.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.5 MYR 205

$89.5 MX$1,536

-43.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 MYR 1,584

$956 MX$16.4K

-59.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 MYR 1,087

$477 MX$8,189

-43.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 MYR 2,609

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-60.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MYR 1,897

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-61.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,168 MYR 8,790

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-44.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$985 MYR 3,993

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-84.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$421 MYR 1,708

$667 MX$11.4K

-36.84%

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 Tawau: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $391 in Tawau 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.

Salaries run about 58% 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 $19.00 in Tawau versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $255 in Tawau vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 47%, 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 $1,298 per month in Tawau 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 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 $865 in Tawau 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 125% 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 $865, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.