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: $781 in Bintulu versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Bintulu versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,667 in Bintulu versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 39% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.71 MYR 14.66

$11.94 MX$209

-68.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.73 MYR 70.0

$42.75 MX$748

-58.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 MYR 22.40

$10.59 MX$185

-46.46%

Cappuccino

$2.80 MYR 11.07

$3.62 MX$63.4

-22.65%

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

$0.62 MYR 2.44

$1.47 MX$25.69

-57.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.55

$0.94 MX$16.51

-58.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 MYR 11.05

$3.09 MX$54.1

-9.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 MYR 19.33

$4.46 MX$78.0

9.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MYR 6.88

$1.43 MX$24.94

21.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 MYR 5.45

$1.88 MX$32.97

-26.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.21

$1.63 MX$28.50

-19.02%

Eggs

$2.11 MYR 8.34

$2.64 MX$46.26

-20.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.62 MYR 65.7

$8.21 MX$144

102.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 MYR 13.17

$8.29 MX$145

-59.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.77 MYR 22.79

$11.10 MX$194

-48.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 MYR 6.36

$2.65 MX$46.40

-39.25%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 MYR 3.57

$1.50 MX$26.26

-40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 MYR 6.44

$1.99 MX$34.79

-18.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.38

$2.08 MX$36.33

-46.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 MYR 1.95

$1.79 MX$31.29

-72.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.76

$2.18 MX$38.09

-44.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 MYR 2.88

$1.08 MX$18.84

-32.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 MYR 1.66

$1.04 MX$18.15

-59.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MYR 16.12

$3.97 MX$69.5

2.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 MYR 75.5

$10.20 MX$179

87.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 MYR 11.01

$1.73 MX$30.22

61.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 MYR 7.53

$2.50 MX$43.71

-23.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 MYR 4.79

$0.52 MX$9.07

132.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.86 MYR 62.6

$26.97 MX$472

-41.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 MYR 3.63

$3.14 MX$55.0

-70.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 MYR 3.46

$2.40 MX$42.04

-63.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 MYR 9.46

$3.09 MX$54.0

-22.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 MYR 2.03

$1.27 MX$22.28

-59.84%

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

$42.8K MYR 168.9K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

38.48%

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

$38.2K MYR 151.0K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

63.91%

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

$57.9 MYR 229

$82.0 MX$1,435

-29.45%

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

$9.27 MYR 36.61

$22.45 MX$393

-58.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.53 MYR 117

$29.66 MX$519

-0.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 MYR 259

$51.9 MX$908

26.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 MYR 23.71

$18.67 MX$327

-67.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 MYR 16.84

$4.97 MX$87.0

-14.29%

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

$122 MYR 483

$198 MX$3,462

-38.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,059 MYR 27.9K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

33.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.3 MYR 250

$36.34 MX$636

74.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.69 MYR 133

$40.05 MX$701

-15.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 MYR 303

$79.9 MX$1,398

-3.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MYR 353

$88.9 MX$1,555

0.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 MYR 843

$963 MX$16.9K

-77.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 MYR 597

$465 MX$8,133

-67.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$467 MYR 1,845

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-70.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$316 MYR 1,248

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-73.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,831 MYR 7,234

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-53.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,198 MYR 4,732

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-81.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$639 MYR 2,525

$720 MX$12.6K

-11.27%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $213 in Bintulu and $963 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: $18.00 in Bintulu vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $251 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 65% 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, Playa del Carmen earns 13% less. 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: $213 in Bintulu versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $781 per month in Bintulu versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 65% 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 $781 in Bintulu versus $1,287 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 $781 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 65% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.