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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,148 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,727 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,306 in Bandar Seri Begawan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 9% 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 6% lower, Bandar Seri Begawan 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.75 BND 4.84

219.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$27.73 BND 35.79

50.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.24 BND 8.05

72.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 BND 2.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 BND 2.94

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.81 BND 4.92

-8.14%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.00 BND 1.29

45.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.58 BND 0.74

51.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.92 BND 2.48

-25.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.79 BND 2.31

2.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.23 BND 1.59

27.64%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.20 BND 2.84

14.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$7.47 BND 9.65

10.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.53 BND 5.85

86.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.09 BND 14.31

-3.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$3.28 BND 4.24

-20.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$2.55 BND 3.29

-43.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$3.20 BND 4.13

-38.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.85 BND 3.67

-26.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.70 BND 2.19

8.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$2.16 BND 2.79

0.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$3.57 BND 4.60

-71.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.83 BND 1.07

28.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.67 BND 16.35

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 BND 4.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 BND 2.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$15.63 BND 20.18

-73.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.74 BND 0.96

-31.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$4.82 BND 6.22

-32.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$2.64 BND 3.40

-8.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$11.49 BND 14.83

-71.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.38 BND 0.49

247.37%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$39.3K BND 50.8K

-24.53%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$36.6K BND 47.2K

-35.32%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$60.4 BND 78.0

35.76%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$22.12 BND 28.55

3.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$64.2 BND 82.9

-53.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$37.32 BND 48.17

39.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$2.84 BND 3.67

552.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$5.56 BND 7.18

-10.43%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$161 BND 208

22.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$9,584 BND 12.4K

-44.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$97.0 BND 125

-63.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$69.0 BND 89.1

-41.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$108 BND 139

-27.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$64.1 BND 82.7

38.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$739 BND 953

28.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$458 BND 591

3.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,324 BND 1,709

24.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$812 BND 1,048

49.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$3,009 BND 3,884

34.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$2,268 BND 2,927

185.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,954 BND 2,522

-66.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.06

181.28%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bandar Seri Begawan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $739 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 199% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $222 – 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 9%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,722 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $28.00 in Bandar Seri Begawan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bandar Seri Begawan, where all-in costs run around $1,148, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.