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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $796 in Bintulu versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,228 in Bintulu versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,661 in Bintulu versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 37% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 40% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.83 MYR 15.63

$11.72 MX$203

-67.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.41 MYR 71.1

$41.89 MX$725

-58.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 MYR 22.53

$10.51 MX$182

-47.48%

Cappuccino

$2.79 MYR 11.38

$3.59 MX$62.0

-22.28%

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

$0.66 MYR 2.71

$1.51 MX$26.10

-56.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.60

$0.92 MX$15.83

-57.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 MYR 11.61

$2.96 MX$51.2

-4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 MYR 20.53

$4.41 MX$76.3

14.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MYR 7.03

$1.40 MX$24.16

22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.58

$1.88 MX$32.60

-27.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 MYR 5.18

$1.56 MX$26.97

-18.59%

Eggs

$2.10 MYR 8.58

$2.61 MX$45.14

-19.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.76 MYR 68.4

$8.32 MX$144

101.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 MYR 14.18

$8.35 MX$145

-58.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.63 MYR 22.97

$10.86 MX$188

-48.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.62

$2.71 MX$46.93

-40.22%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 MYR 3.74

$1.51 MX$26.04

-39.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 MYR 6.54

$1.87 MX$32.41

-14.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.35

$2.19 MX$37.89

-51.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.53 MYR 2.16

$1.86 MX$32.14

-71.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.87

$2.23 MX$38.59

-46.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 MYR 2.79

$1.07 MX$18.48

-36.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 MYR 1.76

$1.09 MX$18.79

-60.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 MYR 16.46

$4.19 MX$72.4

-3.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.73 MYR 80.6

$10.43 MX$180

89.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 MYR 11.72

$1.66 MX$28.68

72.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MYR 7.87

$2.61 MX$45.19

-26.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.92

$0.54 MX$9.37

122.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.40 MYR 62.9

$26.16 MX$453

-41.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 4.00

$3.08 MX$53.3

-68.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 MYR 3.80

$2.40 MX$41.61

-61.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 MYR 9.46

$3.13 MX$54.1

-25.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$1.31 MX$22.69

-58.02%

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

$42.9K MYR 175.0K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

43.77%

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

$37.0K MYR 151.2K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

58.76%

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

$57.3 MYR 234

$81.3 MX$1,406

-29.49%

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

$9.36 MYR 38.21

$22.56 MX$390

-58.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.91 MYR 122

$30.05 MX$520

-0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.2 MYR 266

$52.9 MX$915

23.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.96 MYR 24.33

$18.39 MX$318

-67.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.19 MYR 17.10

$4.92 MX$85.1

-14.84%

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

$121 MYR 493

$201 MX$3,474

-39.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,017 MYR 28.7K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

35.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.6 MYR 251

$35.92 MX$622

71.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.91 MYR 138

$40.13 MX$694

-15.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 MYR 312

$79.7 MX$1,379

-4.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 MYR 362

$86.5 MX$1,496

2.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 MYR 875

$978 MX$16.9K

-78.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 MYR 622

$470 MX$8,140

-67.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$461 MYR 1,881

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-72.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 MYR 1,287

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-73.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,704 MYR 6,956

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-56.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,154 MYR 4,711

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-82.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 MYR 2,455

$677 MX$11.7K

-11.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.42

-60.60%

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

Last update for Bintulu: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Bintulu and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 13% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17.00 in Bintulu vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $224 vs $252 per month, with Bintulu cheaper across the board.

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

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

Bintulu wins on cost – living expenses run 58% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bintulu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $214 in Bintulu versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $796 per month in Bintulu versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 70% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $796 in Bintulu versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bintulu but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Bintulu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bintulu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $796 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bintulu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bintulu and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.