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 $329 per month in Dharan vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $559 per month in Dharan vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $788 per month in Dharan vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dharan is about 75% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 NPR 324

$11.73 MX$202

-81.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.03 NPR 2,879

$41.78 MX$719

-54.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.66 NPR 1,007

$10.41 MX$179

-36.02%

Cappuccino

$1.77 NPR 267

$3.61 MX$62.1

-50.97%

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

$0.35 NPR 53.1

$1.46 MX$25.06

-76.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 NPR 19.45

$0.97 MX$16.70

-86.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.64 NPR 399

$2.92 MX$50.3

-9.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 NPR 542

$4.62 MX$79.5

-22.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.66 NPR 101

$1.43 MX$24.59

-53.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 NPR 56.3

$1.90 MX$32.70

-80.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 NPR 115

$1.57 MX$26.95

-51.59%

Eggs

$1.50 NPR 227

$2.64 MX$45.34

-43.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.33 NPR 1,109

$8.44 MX$145

-13.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 NPR 452

$8.58 MX$148

-65.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.07 NPR 767

$11.00 MX$189

-53.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 NPR 309

$2.70 MX$46.51

-24.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 NPR 81.1

$1.51 MX$25.92

-64.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.63 NPR 96.0

$1.91 MX$32.93

-67.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.41 NPR 62.8

$2.17 MX$37.37

-81.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 NPR 45.46

$1.87 MX$32.25

-83.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 NPR 80.9

$2.23 MX$38.43

-76.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 NPR 75.3

$1.08 MX$18.60

-53.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 NPR 34.44

$1.07 MX$18.47

-78.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 NPR 445

$4.16 MX$71.6

-29.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.01 NPR 455

$10.29 MX$177

-70.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 NPR 348

$1.68 MX$28.95

36.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 NPR 502

$2.53 MX$43.59

31.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 NPR 34.54

$0.55 MX$9.53

-58.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.13 NPR 323

$3.20 MX$55.0

-33.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 NPR 118

$2.46 MX$42.37

-68.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 NPR 560

$3.20 MX$55.0

15.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 NPR 209

$1.32 MX$22.72

4.55%

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

$31.7K NPR 4.8M

$30.2K MX$518.8K

5.28%

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

$40.6K NPR 6.1M

$23.4K MX$402.5K

73.71%

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

$26.15 NPR 3,957

$81.4 MX$1,400

-67.85%

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

$4.98 NPR 753

$22.41 MX$386

-77.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.71 NPR 1,772

$29.97 MX$516

-60.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.81 NPR 1,938

$51.6 MX$887

-75.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$2.85 NPR 431

$5.16 MX$88.9

-44.77%

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

$21.99 NPR 3,328

$202 MX$3,471

-89.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,709 NPR 409.9K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

-48.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.98 NPR 1,964

$35.61 MX$613

-63.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.60 NPR 4,175

$40.37 MX$695

-31.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.57 NPR 4,474

$78.6 MX$1,353

-62.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.19 NPR 5,021

$86.9 MX$1,495

-61.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$39.47 NPR 5,972

$950 MX$16.3K

-95.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$20.35 NPR 3,078

$478 MX$8,227

-95.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$88.1 NPR 13.3K

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-94.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$53.9 NPR 8,161

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-95.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$182 NPR 27.5K

$673 MX$11.6K

-72.96%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $39.47 in Dharan versus $950 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 270% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $120 vs $254 – 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 293% 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 $494 per month in Dharan and $1,941 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 111% 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 $329, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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 $329 versus $1,294 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.