Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Belait and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Kuala Belait and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,933 per month in Kuala Belait vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,865 per month in Kuala Belait vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,797 per month in Kuala Belait vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kuala Belait costs about 49% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kuala Belait sits 41% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.65 BND 9.72

$11.71 MX$199

-34.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.28 BND 60.1

$46.59 MX$791

1.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 BND 10.05

$11.65 MX$198

-32.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BND 3.78

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 BND 3.07

Cappuccino

$4.64 BND 5.90

$4.09 MX$69.5

13.45%

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

$1.28 BND 1.63

$1.37 MX$23.34

-6.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 BND 1.17

$0.83 MX$14.16

10.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$2.54 BND 3.22

$1.73 MX$29.33

46.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 BND 3.11

$2.26 MX$38.39

7.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 BND 2.84

$1.77 MX$30.05

25.99%

Eggs

$2.71 BND 3.44

$2.73 MX$46.41

-0.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.98 BND 24.13

$9.18 MX$156

106.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.60 BND 12.20

$8.92 MX$151

7.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.17 BND 31.99

$12.60 MX$214

99.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.65 BND 5.91

$3.02 MX$51.3

53.97%

Banana (1kg)

$6.53 BND 8.29

$1.57 MX$26.68

315.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.06 BND 6.44

$2.13 MX$36.10

137.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.04 BND 8.94

$2.26 MX$38.46

211.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 BND 4.18

$2.00 MX$34.04

64.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 BND 3.70

$2.06 MX$35.06

41.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.47 BND 6.96

$1.18 MX$20.04

363.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 BND 1.61

$1.20 MX$20.45

5.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$11.57 BND 14.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.94 BND 7.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.78 BND 9.89

$4.63 MX$78.7

68.03%

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)

$0.57 MX$9.74

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.9

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$102

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 BND 0.45

$1.55 MX$26.38

-76.77%

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

$31.3K BND 39.7K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

39.97%

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

$27.0K BND 34.3K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

4.03%

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

$39.36 BND 50.0

$89.1 MX$1,514

-55.84%

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

$21.33 BND 27.11

$25.04 MX$425

-14.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$176 BND 223

$31.50 MX$535

458.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$100 BND 127

$67.8 MX$1,151

47.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 BND 35.49

$28.92 MX$491

-3.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.39 BND 6.86

$5.05 MX$85.8

6.73%

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

$225 MX$3,820

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,270 BND 11.8K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

119.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.8 BND 126

$47.44 MX$806

108.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$102 BND 129

$44.98 MX$764

125.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$156 BND 199

$82.0 MX$1,392

90.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$176 BND 224

$92.1 MX$1,564

91.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 BND 959

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-29.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 BND 986

$405 MX$6,884

91.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 BND 1,519

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-38.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,162 BND 1,477

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-10.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,423 BND 4,350

$749 MX$12.7K

357.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Kuala Belait: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Kuala Belait 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 357% higher in Kuala Belait, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Kuala Belait versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $421 in Kuala Belait vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,933 in Kuala Belait, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 49% apart. Kuala Belait costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,900 per month in Kuala Belait 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Kuala Belait and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,933 in Kuala Belait and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Kuala Belait at $1,933. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kuala Belait it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,293 in Playa del Carmen to $1,933 in Kuala Belait. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kuala Belait makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.