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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $400 per month in Dhulikhel vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $663 per month in Dhulikhel vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $925 per month in Dhulikhel vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dhulikhel is about 68% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dhulikhel and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Dhulikhel 70% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 NPR 272

$11.87 MX$204

-84.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.30 NPR 2,936

$42.90 MX$736

-55.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.58 NPR 1,001

$10.65 MX$183

-38.22%

Cappuccino

$1.49 NPR 226

$3.45 MX$59.2

-56.81%

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

$0.54 NPR 82.8

$1.50 MX$25.81

-64.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 NPR 28.44

$0.95 MX$16.28

-80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 NPR 382

$3.03 MX$51.9

-17.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 NPR 567

$4.61 MX$79.1

-19.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 NPR 116

$1.38 MX$23.61

-44.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 NPR 84.4

$1.85 MX$31.70

-70.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 NPR 123

$1.61 MX$27.65

-49.69%

Eggs

$1.73 NPR 263

$2.59 MX$44.51

-33.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.48 NPR 1,139

$8.26 MX$142

-9.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 NPR 477

$8.37 MX$144

-62.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.03 NPR 918

$10.66 MX$183

-43.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 NPR 346

$2.63 MX$45.12

-13.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 NPR 158

$1.49 MX$25.53

-30.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 NPR 190

$1.92 MX$32.94

-34.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 NPR 107

$2.09 MX$35.81

-66.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 NPR 73.7

$1.86 MX$31.88

-74.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 NPR 95.8

$2.26 MX$38.81

-72.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 NPR 79.4

$1.06 MX$18.23

-50.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 NPR 41.39

$1.09 MX$18.67

-75.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 NPR 446

$4.15 MX$71.2

-29.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 NPR 360

$1.72 MX$29.59

37.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 NPR 504

$2.61 MX$44.85

26.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 NPR 33.51

$0.54 MX$9.30

-59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 NPR 337

$3.13 MX$53.7

-29.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 NPR 114

$2.51 MX$43.09

-70.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.70 NPR 564

$3.15 MX$54.1

17.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 NPR 189

$1.27 MX$21.88

-2.36%

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

$31.5K NPR 4.8M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

3.78%

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

$41.2K NPR 6.3M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

74.99%

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

$26.98 NPR 4,106

$83.0 MX$1,425

-67.49%

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

$4.92 NPR 748

$22.71 MX$390

-78.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.64 NPR 1,467

$29.46 MX$506

-67.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.11 NPR 2,756

$51.0 MX$875

-64.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$2.77 NPR 421

$4.93 MX$84.5

-43.81%

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

$72.7 NPR 11.1K

$197 MX$3,386

-63.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,718 NPR 413.6K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-48.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.44 NPR 3,719

$36.90 MX$633

-33.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.43 NPR 4,174

$39.89 MX$685

-31.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.83 NPR 6,821

$80.0 MX$1,373

-43.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.08 NPR 4,425

$89.5 MX$1,536

-67.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$107 NPR 16.2K

$956 MX$16.4K

-88.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$64.7 NPR 9,849

$477 MX$8,189

-86.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$208 NPR 31.7K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-87.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 NPR 22.3K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-88.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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 Dhulikhel: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $107 in Dhulikhel 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 $19.00 in Dhulikhel versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $132 vs $250 – making Dhulikhel 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 217%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $601 per month in Dhulikhel 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 Dhulikhel, 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 Dhulikhel 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 89% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dhulikhel, where all-in costs run around $400, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Dhulikhel it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dhulikhel – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Dhulikhel. 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.