Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bandar Seri Begawan Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Bandar Seri Begawan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,168 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,711 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,255 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 12% more than Bandar Seri Begawan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Bandar Seri Begawan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Bandar Seri Begawan 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$3.92 BND 4.96

205.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$27.23 BND 34.50

74.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$6.33 BND 8.02

85.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 BND 2.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 BND 3.03

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.85 BND 4.88

7.01%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.91 BND 1.16

53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.51 BND 0.64

78.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.82 BND 2.31

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.75 BND 2.22

22.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.22 BND 1.55

45.08%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.12 BND 2.69

33.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$9.39 BND 11.89

-2.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.43 BND 5.61

108.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$11.06 BND 14.02

14.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$3.22 BND 4.08

-8.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$2.16 BND 2.73

-26.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$3.01 BND 3.81

-26.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.63 BND 3.33

-10.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.75 BND 2.22

13.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$2.13 BND 2.70

-7.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$3.36 BND 4.26

-63.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.81 BND 1.02

49.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$23.90 BND 30.28

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.32 BND 4.20

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$15.88 BND 20.12

-71.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.60 BND 0.76

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$0.81 BND 1.02

3566.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$4.03 BND 5.10

30.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$3.37 BND 4.27

8.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$11.65 BND 14.75

-50.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.39 BND 0.49

294.87%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$43.0K BND 54.5K

-47.01%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$37.0K BND 46.9K

-30.31%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$62.9 BND 79.7

44.13%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$20.44 BND 25.90

23.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$66.1 BND 83.8

-51.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$39.23 BND 49.70

75.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$7.04 BND 8.92

317.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$5.69 BND 7.21

-14.59%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$219 BND 277

3.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$9,793 BND 12.4K

-57.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$76.5 BND 96.9

-38.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$96.8 BND 123

-55.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$107 BND 136

-25.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$73.2 BND 92.8

24.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$744 BND 942

46.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$476 BND 603

-14.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,157 BND 1,466

70.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$702 BND 890

82.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$3,152 BND 3,993

28.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$2,339 BND 2,963

186.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,765 BND 2,236

-56.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

3.88

195.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $744 in Bandar Seri Begawan. 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 128% higher in Bandar Seri Begawan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $27.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $219 – making Bandar Seri Begawan 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

Playa del Carmen vs Bandar Seri Begawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,752 in Bandar Seri Begawan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bandar Seri Begawan, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,168 in Bandar Seri Begawan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3567% less in Bandar Seri Begawan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bandar Seri Begawan, where all-in costs run around $1,168, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Bandar Seri Begawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bandar Seri Begawan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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