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: $843 in Bintulu versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,334 in Bintulu versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,824 in Bintulu versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 33% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 38% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.89 MYR 15.88

$11.60 MX$200

-66.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.53 MYR 75.6

$47.11 MX$811

-60.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.78 MYR 23.57

$11.88 MX$205

-51.35%

Cappuccino

$2.96 MYR 12.09

$3.98 MX$68.5

-25.63%

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

$0.64 MYR 2.62

$1.43 MX$24.57

-55.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.53

$0.82 MX$14.20

-54.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 MYR 11.94

$3.19 MX$54.9

-8.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 MYR 20.93

$6.79 MX$117

-24.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 MYR 8.80

$1.68 MX$28.85

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 MYR 5.61

$2.20 MX$37.83

-37.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.39

$1.71 MX$29.41

-22.81%

Eggs

$2.18 MYR 8.90

$2.74 MX$47.20

-20.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.92 MYR 69.0

$9.58 MX$165

76.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 MYR 14.12

$9.01 MX$155

-61.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.93 MYR 24.20

$12.81 MX$221

-53.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$2.89 MX$49.74

-42.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 MYR 4.11

$1.50 MX$25.78

-32.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$2.15 MX$36.98

-22.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.75

$2.26 MX$38.91

-48.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 MYR 2.10

$1.98 MX$34.10

-73.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.89

$1.99 MX$34.26

-39.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 MYR 3.09

$1.23 MX$21.25

-38.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 MYR 1.81

$1.20 MX$20.60

-63.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MYR 17.13

$4.55 MX$78.3

-7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.1

$10.37 MX$179

86.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.85

$1.62 MX$27.88

79.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 MYR 7.87

$2.88 MX$49.60

-32.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 MYR 4.88

$0.60 MX$10.34

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.15 MYR 65.9

$28.80 MX$496

-43.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$5.39 MX$92.8

-81.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 MYR 3.64

$3.73 MX$64.2

-76.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 MYR 9.77

$5.77 MX$99.3

-58.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 MYR 2.40

$1.54 MX$26.45

-61.69%

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

$45.0K MYR 183.6K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

99.61%

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

$38.8K MYR 158.5K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

49.08%

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

$59.7 MYR 244

$91.4 MX$1,573

-34.67%

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

$31.36 MYR 128

$25.20 MX$434

24.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.26 MYR 128

$31.24 MX$538

0.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MYR 281

$67.2 MX$1,157

2.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.31 MYR 50.2

$29.11 MX$501

-57.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.47 MYR 18.22

$4.86 MX$83.7

-8.02%

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

$129 MYR 528

$224 MX$3,851

-42.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,469 MYR 30.5K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

76.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 MYR 270

$47.10 MX$811

40.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.14 MYR 143

$44.29 MX$763

-20.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MYR 325

$80.1 MX$1,379

-0.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 MYR 374

$92.7 MX$1,596

-1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$219 MYR 892

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-79.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 MYR 632

$390 MX$6,719

-60.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 MYR 1,988

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-77.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 MYR 1,378

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-73.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,724 MYR 7,035

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-56.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,139 MYR 4,646

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-82.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$603 MYR 2,458

$758 MX$13.1K

-20.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.45

-60.70%

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

Last update for Bintulu: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $219 in Bintulu and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 26% 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: $19.00 in Bintulu vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $276 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 50% 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 26% 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: $219 in Bintulu versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $843 per month in Bintulu versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 78% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $843 in Bintulu versus $1,266 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 $843 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 50% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.