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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,719 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,538 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,358 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 26% cheaper than Kuala Belait, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Kuala Belait is 26% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$7.74 BND 9.88

49.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$46.60 BND 59.5

1.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.63 BND 9.75

55.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 BND 2.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 BND 2.98

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$4.45 BND 5.69

-10.56%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.90 BND 1.15

58.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.50 BND 0.64

64.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.84 BND 2.35

-8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.42 BND 3.10

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.34 BND 2.99

-26.92%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.70 BND 3.44

1.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$19.04 BND 24.33

-49.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.65 BND 12.34

-6.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$24.79 BND 31.68

-48.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$4.84 BND 6.18

-40.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$2.26 BND 2.89

-33.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$4.80 BND 6.13

-55.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$2.49 BND 3.18

-9.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.69 BND 2.16

17.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.93 BND 3.74

-32.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$5.46 BND 6.98

-77.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.85 BND 1.09

41.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$11.62 BND 14.84

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$6.00 BND 7.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$7.93 BND 10.13

-42.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$3.82 BND 4.88

41.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$3.35 BND 4.28

11.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$11.86 BND 15.15

-51.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.35 BND 0.45

340.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$32.0K BND 40.9K

-29.53%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$27.0K BND 34.6K

-3.66%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$39.38 BND 50.3

132.05%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$21.97 BND 28.07

14.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$66.2 BND 84.5

-52.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$99.3 BND 127

-32.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$28.03 BND 35.82

3.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$5.63 BND 7.19

-13.68%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$218 BND 278

2.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$9,520 BND 12.2K

-55.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$77.6 BND 99.1

-39.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$103 BND 131

-56.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$102 BND 131

-21.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$72.3 BND 92.4

28.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$751 BND 959

41.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$802 BND 1,025

-51.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$1,181 BND 1,509

81.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$1,167 BND 1,491

8.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$3,306 BND 4,224

-77.07%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Kuala Belait: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $751 in Kuala Belait. 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 336% 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 Playa del Carmen versus $47.00 in Kuala Belait. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $355 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $1,719 in Kuala Belait – roughly 36% apart. Kuala Belait costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,578 in Kuala Belait. 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,719 in Kuala Belait. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $218 in Kuala Belait. 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 $1,266, than in Kuala Belait at $1,719. 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen to $1,719 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.