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 $1,168 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,692 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,216 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Bandar Seri Begawan is about 10% 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 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.88 BND 4.93

$11.71 MX$199

-66.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.86 BND 35.40

$46.59 MX$791

-40.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 BND 7.81

$11.65 MX$198

-47.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 BND 2.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 BND 3.09

Cappuccino

$3.84 BND 4.88

$4.09 MX$69.5

-6.11%

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

$0.96 BND 1.22

$1.37 MX$23.34

-29.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 BND 0.64

$0.83 MX$14.16

-39.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 BND 2.39

$1.73 MX$29.33

8.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 BND 2.24

$2.26 MX$38.39

-22.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 BND 1.53

$1.77 MX$30.05

-32.20%

Eggs

$2.06 BND 2.62

$2.73 MX$46.41

-24.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.33 BND 11.86

$9.18 MX$156

1.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 BND 5.89

$8.92 MX$151

-47.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 BND 13.86

$12.60 MX$214

-13.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 BND 3.92

$3.02 MX$51.3

1.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 BND 2.83

$1.57 MX$26.68

42.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 BND 3.68

$2.13 MX$36.10

35.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 BND 3.30

$2.26 MX$38.46

14.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 BND 2.13

$2.00 MX$34.04

-16.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.05 BND 2.60

$2.06 MX$35.06

-0.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.21 BND 4.09

$1.18 MX$20.04

172.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 BND 1.04

$1.20 MX$20.45

-31.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$23.31 BND 29.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.43 BND 4.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.65 BND 19.89

$4.63 MX$78.7

238.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 BND 0.72

$0.57 MX$9.74

-1.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$0.75 BND 0.95

$29.83 MX$507

-97.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 BND 4.85

$5.45 MX$92.5

-29.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.38 BND 4.29

$3.70 MX$62.9

-8.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.59 BND 14.73

$5.98 MX$102

93.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 BND 0.49

$1.55 MX$26.38

-75.48%

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

$43.6K BND 55.5K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

95.40%

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

$37.0K BND 47.0K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

42.43%

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

$61.7 BND 78.4

$89.1 MX$1,514

-30.78%

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

$20.53 BND 26.10

$25.04 MX$425

-18.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 BND 84.2

$31.50 MX$535

110.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.04 BND 50.9

$67.8 MX$1,151

-40.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.20 BND 9.16

$28.92 MX$491

-75.10%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 BND 7.18

$5.05 MX$85.8

11.88%

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

$218 BND 277

$225 MX$3,820

-3.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,765 BND 12.4K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

131.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.8 BND 97.6

$47.44 MX$806

61.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$94.0 BND 120

$44.98 MX$764

109.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 BND 137

$82.0 MX$1,392

31.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 BND 90.9

$92.1 MX$1,564

-22.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$712 BND 904

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-33.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 BND 599

$405 MX$6,884

16.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 BND 1,438

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-41.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 BND 876

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-47.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,074 BND 3,907

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-23.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,364 BND 3,004

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-64.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,807 BND 2,296

$749 MX$12.7K

141.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.88

11.45

-66.11%

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

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $712 in Bandar Seri Begawan versus $1,069 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 141% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $219 vs $277 – 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 11%, 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 $1,753 per month in Bandar Seri Begawan and $1,940 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,168 in Bandar Seri Begawan and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3877% less in Bandar Seri Begawan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bandar Seri Begawan, where all-in costs run around $1,168, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.