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 $1,657 per month in Kuala Belait vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,452 per month in Kuala Belait vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,247 per month in Kuala Belait vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Kuala Belait costs about 32% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kuala Belait sits 24% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.67 BND 4.74

$11.99 MX$210

-69.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.09 BND 59.5

$41.78 MX$733

10.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 BND 10.19

$10.75 MX$189

-26.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 BND 2.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 BND 3.00

Cappuccino

$4.62 BND 5.97

$3.50 MX$61.3

32.00%

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

$0.97 BND 1.25

$1.45 MX$25.41

-33.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.61 BND 0.79

$0.88 MX$15.52

-30.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$2.53 BND 3.27

$1.43 MX$25.12

76.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 BND 3.27

$1.84 MX$32.23

37.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.28 BND 2.95

$1.57 MX$27.51

45.22%

Eggs

$2.58 BND 3.33

$2.51 MX$44.06

2.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.15 BND 24.74

$8.28 MX$145

131.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.77 BND 12.62

$8.43 MX$148

15.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.73 BND 31.94

$10.68 MX$187

131.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 BND 5.82

$2.61 MX$45.76

72.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 BND 3.27

$1.44 MX$25.22

75.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.19 BND 4.12

$1.96 MX$34.41

62.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 BND 3.59

$2.09 MX$36.74

33.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 BND 2.13

$1.85 MX$32.47

-10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 BND 2.88

$2.17 MX$38.02

2.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.55 BND 7.17

$1.03 MX$18.09

438.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BND 0.98

$1.07 MX$18.84

-28.97%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$11.44 BND 14.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.98 BND 7.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 BND 2.06

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 BND 10.34

$4.10 MX$72.0

95.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.72 BND 6.10

$3.23 MX$56.7

46.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.62 BND 15.01

$3.23 MX$56.6

259.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 BND 0.46

$1.32 MX$23.17

-72.73%

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

$22.9K BND 29.6K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-22.80%

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

$27.1K BND 35.0K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

14.41%

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

$38.63 BND 49.89

$82.0 MX$1,439

-52.90%

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

$21.89 BND 28.27

$22.95 MX$403

-4.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 BND 83.2

$30.11 MX$528

113.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.6 BND 126

$52.0 MX$912

87.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.79 BND 28.14

$18.53 MX$325

17.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 BND 7.20

$4.98 MX$87.3

11.85%

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

$155 BND 201

$197 MX$3,463

-21.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,500 BND 12.3K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

78.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$98.4 BND 127

$35.60 MX$624

176.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$103 BND 133

$40.33 MX$707

155.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 BND 157

$78.8 MX$1,381

54.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.5 BND 82.1

$88.9 MX$1,560

-28.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 BND 958

$947 MX$16.6K

-21.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$794 BND 1,026

$474 MX$8,314

67.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 BND 1,521

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-28.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,167 BND 1,508

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-3.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,320 BND 4,288

$654 MX$11.5K

407.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

11.42

-64.45%

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

Last update for Kuala Belait: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $742 in Kuala Belait versus $947 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 408% 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 $46.00 in Kuala Belait versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $356 vs $249 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $1,657 in Kuala Belait, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 32% apart. Kuala Belait costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,486 per month in Kuala Belait and $1,884 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,657 in Kuala Belait and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $155 per month in Kuala Belait and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Kuala Belait at $1,657. 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen to $1,657 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.