Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandar Seri Begawan and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Bandar Seri Begawan and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,148 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,727 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,306 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Bandar Seri Begawan is about 9% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bandar Seri Begawan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Bandar Seri Begawan 14% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.75 BND 4.84

$11.99 MX$210

-68.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 BND 35.82

$41.78 MX$733

-33.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.24 BND 8.06

$10.75 MX$189

-41.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 BND 2.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 BND 2.94

Cappuccino

$3.81 BND 4.93

$3.50 MX$61.3

8.86%

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

$1.00 BND 1.29

$1.45 MX$25.41

-31.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 BND 0.74

$0.88 MX$15.52

-34.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 BND 2.49

$1.43 MX$25.12

34.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 BND 2.31

$1.84 MX$32.23

-2.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 BND 1.59

$1.57 MX$27.51

-21.66%

Eggs

$2.20 BND 2.84

$2.51 MX$44.06

-12.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.47 BND 9.65

$8.28 MX$145

-9.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 BND 5.85

$8.43 MX$148

-46.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 BND 14.33

$10.68 MX$187

3.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 BND 4.24

$2.61 MX$45.76

25.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 BND 3.29

$1.44 MX$25.22

77.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.20 BND 4.14

$1.96 MX$34.41

63.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.85 BND 3.68

$2.09 MX$36.74

36.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 BND 2.19

$1.85 MX$32.47

-8.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 BND 2.79

$2.17 MX$38.02

-0.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.57 BND 4.61

$1.03 MX$18.09

246.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 BND 1.07

$1.07 MX$18.84

-22.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.67 BND 16.36

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 BND 4.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 BND 2.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.63 BND 20.19

$4.10 MX$72.0

281.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 BND 0.96

$0.51 MX$8.93

45.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.82 BND 6.23

$3.23 MX$56.7

49.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 BND 3.40

$2.41 MX$42.19

9.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.49 BND 14.85

$3.23 MX$56.6

255.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 BND 0.49

$1.32 MX$23.17

-71.21%

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

$39.3K BND 50.8K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

32.51%

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

$36.6K BND 47.3K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

54.61%

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

$60.4 BND 78.0

$82.0 MX$1,439

-26.34%

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

$22.12 BND 28.57

$22.95 MX$403

-3.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 BND 82.9

$30.11 MX$528

113.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.32 BND 48.20

$52.0 MX$912

-28.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.84 BND 3.67

$18.53 MX$325

-84.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.56 BND 7.19

$4.98 MX$87.3

11.65%

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

$161 BND 208

$197 MX$3,463

-18.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,584 BND 12.4K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

79.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$97.0 BND 125

$35.60 MX$624

172.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.0 BND 89.2

$40.33 MX$707

71.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BND 139

$78.8 MX$1,381

36.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.1 BND 82.8

$88.9 MX$1,560

-27.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 BND 954

$947 MX$16.6K

-22.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 BND 592

$474 MX$8,314

-3.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,324 BND 1,710

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-19.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$812 BND 1,049

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-32.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,009 BND 3,887

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-25.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,268 BND 2,929

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-64.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,954 BND 2,524

$654 MX$11.5K

198.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

11.42

-64.45%

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

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $739 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $947 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 199% higher in Bandar Seri Begawan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $249 – making Bandar Seri Begawan 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

Bandar Seri Begawan vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 9%, 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 $1,722 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan and $1,884 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 Bandar Seri Begawan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bandar Seri Begawan, where all-in costs run around $1,148, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Bandar Seri Begawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bandar Seri Begawan – 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 Bandar Seri Begawan. 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.