Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dharan and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Dharan: $56.9 a month against $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $13,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

17

Cost of Living Index in Dharan
Learn more

Dharan Living Index
60

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
Learn more

Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Dharan

🇳🇵 Nepal

$56.9

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,215

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dharan and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dharan and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $56.9 per month in Dharan vs $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dharan $56.9
Playa del Carmen $1,215

A couple spends around $89.7 per month in Dharan vs $2,144 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dharan $89.7
Playa del Carmen $2,144

A family of three spends $122 per month in Dharan vs $3,072 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dharan $122
Playa del Carmen $3,072

Dharan is about 95% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Dharan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Dharan 96% lower, Playa del Carmen 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.99 NPR 309

$10.97 MX$201

-81.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.85 MX$823

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 MX$219

Cappuccino

$1.64 NPR 254

$3.80 MX$69.9

-56.84%

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

$0.40 NPR 62.1

$1.31 MX$24.08

-69.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 NPR 20.65

$0.86 MX$15.72

-84.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$59.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 MX$92.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.77

White Bread (500g)

$0.43 NPR 67.0

$2.33 MX$42.72

-81.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MX$26.48

Eggs

$2.46 MX$45.20

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$141

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 NPR 399

$7.89 MX$145

-67.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 MX$235

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$53.6

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.11

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MX$47.10

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$39.24

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.75

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MX$35.55

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.13

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$22.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$80.3

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$28.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$49.86

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.64

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 MX$90.2

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 MX$64.7

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MX$104

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 NPR 177

$1.54 MX$28.27

-25.97%

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

$21.2K MX$389.9K

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

$24.5K MX$449.6K

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

$83.6 MX$1,535

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

$24.03 MX$441

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,191

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$541

Cinema Ticket

$1.90 NPR 294

$5.09 MX$93.4

-62.67%

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

$208 MX$3,813

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$74.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.55 MX$818

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 MX$772

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MX$1,387

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,678

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$7,072

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$31.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$20.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$73.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$114.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Dharan: October 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Eating Out

Dharan

$38 * 64.3%

Playa del Carmen

$204 16.6% 439% $166

Groceries & Markets

Dharan

$17 * 29.3%

Playa del Carmen

$260 21.2% 1411% $243

Sport & Entertainment

Dharan

$3.8 * 6.5%

Playa del Carmen

$75 6.1% 1880% $71

Getting Around

Dharan

- * 0%

Playa del Carmen

$52 4.2%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dharan

- * 0%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.2%

Clothing & Footwear

Dharan

- * 0%

Playa del Carmen

$114 9.3%

Accommodation & Living

Dharan

- * 0%

Playa del Carmen

$385 31.4%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Good to know

🇳🇵 Dharan

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

16:14 4:14 PM

05:29 5:29 AM

10 h 45 min behind Dharan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

173,096

149,923

💱 Currency

Nepalese Rupee NPR रु

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD

1,000 NPR = 5.77 EUR

100 MXN = 5.45 USD

100 MXN = 4.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to NPR – Nepalese Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇳🇵 Nepalese Rupee (रु)

Nepalese Rupee exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 155 NPR (1,000 NPR = 6.46 USD). 1 EUR = 173 NPR (1,000 NPR = 5.77 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.36 MXN (100 MXN = 5.45 USD). 1 EUR = 20.57 MXN (100 MXN = 4.86 EUR).

USD to NPR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Dharan Playa del Carmen 14,700 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Dharan
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 2035% more than Dharan, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $85.4 per month in Dharan and $1,823 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $56.9 in Dharan and $1,215 in Playa del Carmen. That's a gap of about 2035%.

Groceries cost about 1411% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dharan, where all-in costs run around $56.9, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,215. In Dharan 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. Dharan costs $56.9 versus $1,215 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 Dharan. 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.