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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,642 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,431 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,220 in Kuala Belait, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 21% cheaper than Kuala Belait, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Kuala Belait is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.62 BND 4.65

224.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$46.89 BND 60.1

-11.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.69 BND 9.86

38.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 BND 2.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 BND 2.96

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$4.51 BND 5.78

-21.95%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.97 BND 1.24

55.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.56 BND 0.72

73.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$2.45 BND 3.14

-43.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$2.49 BND 3.20

-24.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$2.29 BND 2.93

-28.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.60 BND 3.34

-3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$18.55 BND 23.79

-55.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$9.84 BND 12.62

-15.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$25.05 BND 32.13

-57.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$4.68 BND 6.00

-44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$2.63 BND 3.38

-44.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$3.10 BND 3.98

-38.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$2.80 BND 3.59

-25.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.64 BND 2.10

8.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$2.21 BND 2.84

-0.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$5.49 BND 7.05

-81.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.81 BND 1.04

33.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$11.53 BND 14.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.91 BND 7.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 BND 1.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$7.62 BND 9.78

-46.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$4.56 BND 5.85

-28.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$11.88 BND 15.24

-72.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.35 BND 0.45

274.29%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$23.0K BND 29.5K

31.68%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$26.9K BND 34.4K

-12.75%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$39.27 BND 50.4

111.03%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$21.38 BND 27.43

3.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$64.1 BND 82.2

-54.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$96.8 BND 124

-46.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$21.48 BND 27.55

-14.71%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$5.33 BND 6.84

-4.88%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$157 BND 201

28.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$9,152 BND 11.7K

-43.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$98.8 BND 127

-62.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$99.5 BND 128

-60.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$125 BND 160

-37.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$64.8 BND 83.1

34.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$727 BND 932

33.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$766 BND 982

-38.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,167 BND 1,498

40.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,166 BND 1,496

4.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$3,392 BND 4,351

-80.43%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kuala Belait: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $727 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 411% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $47.00 in Kuala Belait. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $356 – 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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $1,642 in Kuala Belait – roughly 27% apart. Kuala Belait costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,463 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,642 in Kuala Belait. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $157 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 $1,297, than in Kuala Belait at $1,642. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $1,642 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.