Cost of Living Comparison Between Daska and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Daska and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $460 per month in Daska vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $707 per month in Daska vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $955 per month in Daska vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Daska is about 64% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Daska and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Daska 66% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.87 PKR 797

$11.87 MX$204

-75.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.96 PKR 3,880

$42.90 MX$736

-67.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.23 PKR 1,454

$10.65 MX$183

-50.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 480

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 PKR 1,056

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 557

$3.45 MX$59.2

-42.03%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$1.50 MX$25.81

-71.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.1

$0.95 MX$16.28

-74.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 266

$1.38 MX$23.61

-30.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 183

$1.85 MX$31.70

-64.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 PKR 355

$1.61 MX$27.65

-20.50%

Eggs

$1.25 PKR 348

$2.59 MX$44.51

-51.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.13 PKR 1,703

$8.26 MX$142

-25.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 PKR 972

$8.37 MX$144

-58.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.46 PKR 1,239

$10.66 MX$183

-58.16%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 PKR 275

$2.63 MX$45.12

-62.36%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 PKR 219

$1.49 MX$25.53

-46.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.89 PKR 247

$1.92 MX$32.94

-53.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$2.09 MX$35.81

-71.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.42 PKR 116

$1.86 MX$31.88

-77.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 159

$2.26 MX$38.81

-74.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.30 PKR 84.6

$1.06 MX$18.23

-71.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$1.09 MX$18.67

-62.39%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.47 PKR 408

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PKR 236

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 566

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 PKR 579

$4.15 MX$71.2

-49.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.55

$0.54 MX$9.30

-70.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.22 PKR 2,006

$26.94 MX$462

-73.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.86 PKR 239

$3.13 MX$53.7

-72.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 PKR 113

$2.51 MX$43.09

-83.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 PKR 783

$3.15 MX$54.1

-10.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 PKR 257

$1.27 MX$21.88

-27.56%

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

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-31.51%

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

$26.4K PKR 7.3M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

12.12%

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

$112 PKR 31.1K

$83.0 MX$1,425

34.57%

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

$5.36 PKR 1,491

$22.71 MX$390

-76.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.98 PKR 5,277

$29.46 MX$506

-35.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.61 PKR 3,505

$51.0 MX$875

-75.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.07 PKR 1,687

$18.33 MX$315

-66.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.21 PKR 1,172

$4.93 MX$84.5

-14.60%

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

$60.0 PKR 16.7K

$197 MX$3,386

-69.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,095 PKR 304.5K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-79.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.86 PKR 6,078

$36.90 MX$633

-40.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.43 PKR 7,904

$39.89 MX$685

-28.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.0 PKR 25.0K

$80.0 MX$1,373

12.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.43 PKR 11.0K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-55.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.8 PKR 20.5K

$956 MX$16.4K

-92.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.4 PKR 14.6K

$477 MX$8,189

-89.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$170 PKR 47.2K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-89.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.0K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-91.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$868 PKR 241.3K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-77.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$451 PKR 125.5K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-93.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

11.42

76.88%

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

Last update for Daska: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $73.8 in Daska versus $956 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Daska versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $100 vs $250 – making Daska 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 177% more than Daska, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $689 per month in Daska and $1,906 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 Daska, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 149% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Daska and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Daska, where all-in costs run around $460, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Daska it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Daska costs $460 versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Daska. 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.