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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $337 per month in Dharan vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $561 per month in Dharan vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $785 per month in Dharan vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dharan is about 74% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Dharan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Dharan 75% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 NPR 325

$11.94 MX$209

-82.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.80 NPR 2,855

$42.75 MX$748

-56.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 NPR 1,005

$10.59 MX$185

-37.58%

Cappuccino

$1.86 NPR 283

$3.62 MX$63.4

-48.62%

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

$0.33 NPR 49.73

$1.47 MX$25.69

-77.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 NPR 22.93

$0.94 MX$16.51

-84.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 NPR 405

$3.09 MX$54.1

-13.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 NPR 564

$4.46 MX$78.0

-16.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 NPR 108

$1.43 MX$24.94

-50.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 NPR 56.4

$1.88 MX$32.97

-80.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 NPR 114

$1.63 MX$28.50

-53.99%

Eggs

$1.57 NPR 238

$2.64 MX$46.26

-40.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.35 NPR 1,117

$8.21 MX$144

-10.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 NPR 444

$8.29 MX$145

-64.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.99 NPR 758

$11.10 MX$194

-55.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 NPR 302

$2.65 MX$46.40

-24.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 NPR 85.9

$1.50 MX$26.26

-62.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.63 NPR 96.2

$1.99 MX$34.79

-68.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 NPR 59.2

$2.08 MX$36.33

-81.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 NPR 46.20

$1.79 MX$31.29

-83.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 NPR 79.3

$2.18 MX$38.09

-76.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 NPR 80.2

$1.08 MX$18.84

-50.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.20 NPR 30.37

$1.04 MX$18.15

-80.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 NPR 444

$3.97 MX$69.5

-26.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.05 NPR 463

$10.20 MX$179

-70.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 NPR 344

$1.73 MX$30.22

31.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 NPR 512

$2.50 MX$43.71

34.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 NPR 27.15

$0.52 MX$9.07

-65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.17 NPR 329

$3.14 MX$55.0

-30.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 NPR 125

$2.40 MX$42.04

-65.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 NPR 543

$3.09 MX$54.0

15.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 NPR 207

$1.27 MX$22.28

7.09%

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

$32.3K NPR 4.9M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

4.49%

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

$40.5K NPR 6.2M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

73.71%

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

$26.26 NPR 3,989

$82.0 MX$1,435

-67.98%

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

$4.81 NPR 730

$22.45 MX$393

-78.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.62 NPR 1,765

$29.66 MX$519

-60.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.51 NPR 1,900

$51.9 MX$908

-75.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 NPR 448

$4.97 MX$87.0

-40.64%

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

$21.91 NPR 3,328

$198 MX$3,462

-88.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,693 NPR 409.1K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-48.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.56 NPR 1,908

$36.34 MX$636

-65.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.80 NPR 4,223

$40.05 MX$701

-30.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$28.74 NPR 4,366

$79.9 MX$1,398

-64.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.25 NPR 4,899

$88.9 MX$1,555

-63.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$39.99 NPR 6,075

$963 MX$16.9K

-95.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$20.39 NPR 3,098

$465 MX$8,133

-95.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$87.8 NPR 13.3K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-94.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$53.9 NPR 8,192

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-95.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 NPR 28.1K

$720 MX$12.6K

-74.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.08

11.42

5.78%

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

Last update for Dharan: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $39.99 in Dharan versus $963 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.

Salaries run about 290% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $19.00 in Dharan versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $120 vs $251 – making Dharan 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 282% more than Dharan, 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 $505 per month in Dharan and $1,930 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 Dharan, 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 $19.00 in Dharan and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 109% 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 $337, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $337 versus $1,287 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.