Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bintulu and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Bintulu: $852 a month against $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in Bintulu
Learn more

Bintulu Living Index
57

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

Jump to prices

Bintulu

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$852

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,202

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bintulu and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bintulu and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Bintulu versus $1,202 in Playa del Carmen.

Bintulu $852
Playa del Carmen $1,202

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,331 in Bintulu versus $2,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Bintulu $1,331
Playa del Carmen $2,082

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,810 in Bintulu versus $2,962 in Playa del Carmen.

Bintulu $1,810
Playa del Carmen $2,962

Living in Bintulu costs roughly 29% less than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bintulu 37% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 MYR 16.34

$10.67 MX$199

-62.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.75 MYR 76.2

$43.80 MX$815

-57.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 MYR 23.30

$11.79 MX$219

-51.31%

Cappuccino

$2.89 MYR 11.76

$3.79 MX$70.5

-23.75%

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

$0.68 MYR 2.77

$1.30 MX$24.14

-47.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 MYR 1.53

$0.83 MX$15.51

-54.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 MYR 12.13

$3.15 MX$58.6

-5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.19 MYR 21.09

$4.93 MX$91.8

5.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 MYR 8.54

$1.41 MX$26.22

48.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 MYR 5.80

$2.20 MX$40.86

-35.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MYR 5.37

$1.47 MX$27.40

-10.20%

Eggs

$2.21 MYR 8.96

$2.50 MX$46.47

-11.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 MYR 70.6

$7.29 MX$136

138.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.59 MYR 14.59

$7.95 MX$148

-54.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.95 MYR 24.16

$12.86 MX$239

-53.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 MYR 7.15

$2.90 MX$53.9

-39.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 MYR 4.05

$1.38 MX$25.74

-27.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.93

$2.49 MX$46.36

-31.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 MYR 4.56

$2.03 MX$37.78

-44.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 MYR 2.24

$2.02 MX$37.69

-72.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.85

$1.90 MX$35.42

-37.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 MYR 3.04

$1.14 MX$21.30

-34.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.81

$1.24 MX$23.06

-63.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 MYR 16.70

$4.27 MX$79.5

-3.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.47 MYR 79.1

$9.81 MX$183

98.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 MYR 12.28

$1.59 MX$29.51

89.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 MYR 8.12

$2.75 MX$51.1

-27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 MYR 5.13

$0.51 MX$9.58

147.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.05 MYR 65.2

$27.39 MX$510

-41.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 MYR 3.88

$4.76 MX$88.6

-80.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 MYR 3.32

$3.25 MX$60.5

-74.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 MYR 10.18

$5.39 MX$100

-53.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.70

$1.53 MX$28.44

-56.86%

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

$44.8K MYR 181.9K

$21.2K MX$394.8K

111.16%

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

$39.9K MYR 161.9K

$23.3K MX$432.9K

71.31%

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

$59.5 MYR 242

$83.5 MX$1,554

-28.75%

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

$31.54 MYR 128

$23.19 MX$431

36.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.82 MYR 125

$27.61 MX$514

11.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.5 MYR 278

$56.4 MX$1,050

21.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.11 MYR 49.17

$28.19 MX$525

-57.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.51 MYR 18.32

$5.00 MX$93.1

-9.80%

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

$125 MYR 507

$207 MX$3,854

-39.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,487 MYR 30.4K

$5,231 MX$97.4K

43.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 MYR 266

$43.45 MX$809

50.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.43 MYR 144

$42.54 MX$792

-16.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 MYR 318

$72.8 MX$1,354

7.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MYR 374

$88.4 MX$1,645

4.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 MYR 909

$995 MX$18.5K

-77.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 MYR 634

$382 MX$7,116

-59.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 MYR 1,927

$1,674 MX$31.2K

-71.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 MYR 1,361

$1,081 MX$20.1K

-68.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,775 MYR 7,211

$3,909 MX$72.7K

-54.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,172 MYR 4,760

$6,138 MX$114.2K

-80.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$613 MYR 2,489

$832 MX$15.5K

-26.36%

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: November 3, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Bintulu

$235 27.6%

Playa del Carmen

$257 21.4% 9.5% $22

Accommodation & Living

Bintulu

$156 18.3%

Playa del Carmen

$382 31.8% 145% $226

Clothing & Footwear

Bintulu

$122 14.3%

Playa del Carmen

$111 9.3% 8.9% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bintulu

$122 14.3%

Playa del Carmen

$134 11.2% 10.2% $12

Eating Out

Bintulu

$114 13.3%

Playa del Carmen

$200 16.7% 76.2% $87

Sport & Entertainment

Bintulu

$78 9.1%

Playa del Carmen

$66 5.5% 14.3% $11

Getting Around

Bintulu

$26 3.1%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 92.9% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $224 in Bintulu and $995 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 36% 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 in Bintulu vs $44 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $257 per month, with Bintulu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Bintulu

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

22:25 10:25 PM

09:25 9:25 AM

13 h behind Bintulu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

240,172

149,923

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.246 USD

1 MYR = 0.22 EUR

100 MXN = 5.37 USD

100 MXN = 4.79 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 4.06 MYR (1 MYR = 0.246 USD). 1 EUR = 4.55 MYR (1 MYR = 0.22 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.86 MXN (100 MXN = 4.79 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Bintulu Playa del Carmen 16,580 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Bintulu
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 29% 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 Bintulu. 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: $224 in Bintulu versus $995 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $852 per month in Bintulu versus $1,202 in Playa del Carmen – Bintulu is about 29% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Bintulu runs roughly 41% less than in Playa del Carmen. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Bintulu is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Bintulu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.