🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $488 in Haroonabad versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $716 in Haroonabad versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $945 in Haroonabad versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.
🌍Living in Haroonabad costs roughly 62% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Haroonabad64% lower, Playa del Carmen6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Haroonabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.56PKR 710
$11.71MX$198
-78.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.84PKR 3,005
$46.59MX$786
-76.73%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.71PKR 1,582
$11.65MX$197
-50.99%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.68PKR 1,019
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.25PKR 1,456
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.49PKR 689
$4.09MX$69.1
-39.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39PKR 109
$1.37MX$23.20
-71.53%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26PKR 72.5
$0.83MX$14.07
-68.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.35MX$56.6
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.91MX$117
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Haroonabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.91PKR 252
$1.73MX$29.15
-47.40%
White Bread(500g)
$0.67PKR 185
$2.26MX$38.15
-70.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.18PKR 327
$1.77MX$29.86
-33.33%
Eggs
$1.24PKR 345
$2.73MX$46.12
-54.58%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.31PKR 1,750
$9.18MX$155
-31.26%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.52PKR 698
$8.92MX$151
-71.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$4.75PKR 1,318
$12.60MX$213
-62.30%
Apples(1kg)
$1.16PKR 322
$3.02MX$51.0
-61.59%
Banana(1kg)
$0.63PKR 174
$1.57MX$26.51
-59.87%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.82PKR 227
$2.13MX$35.88
-61.50%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.64PKR 178
$2.26MX$38.22
-71.68%
Potato(1kg)
$0.28PKR 77.0
$2.00MX$33.82
-86.00%
Onion(1kg)
$0.33PKR 91.3
$2.06MX$34.85
-83.98%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.48PKR 134
$1.18MX$19.91
-59.32%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.37PKR 103
$1.20MX$20.32
-69.17%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
$1.06PKR 293
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.60PKR 167
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65PKR 456
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.10PKR 581
$4.63MX$78.2
-54.64%
Wine(Bottle)
-
$10.69MX$180
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.62MX$27.33
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.88MX$48.63
-
🚌 Getting Around
Haroonabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.17PKR 46.04
$0.57MX$9.68
-70.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$10.60PKR 2,938
$29.83MX$503
-64.47%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.88PKR 244
$5.45MX$91.9
-83.85%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.69PKR 192
$3.70MX$62.5
-81.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.84PKR 509
$5.98MX$101
-69.23%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.28PKR 355
$1.55MX$26.22
-17.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.1KPKR 5.0M
$22.3KMX$376.8K
-18.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6KPKR 7.4M
$25.9KMX$438.0K
2.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Haroonabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$121PKR 33.5K
$89.1MX$1,504
35.64%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.38PKR 1,493
$25.04MX$423
-78.51%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.67PKR 2,958
$31.50MX$532
-66.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Haroonabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$15.17PKR 4,205
$67.8MX$1,144
-77.62%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.92MX$488
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.41PKR 1,224
$5.05MX$85.2
-12.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Haroonabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$10.84PKR 3,004
$225MX$3,797
-95.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,062PKR 294.5K
$4,222MX$71.3K
-74.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Haroonabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$10.66PKR 2,956
$47.44MX$801
-77.53%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.55PKR 7,084
$44.98MX$759
-43.20%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$74.1PKR 20.5K
$82.0MX$1,384
-9.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$28.50PKR 7,901
$92.1MX$1,555
-69.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Haroonabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$122PKR 33.8K
$1,069MX$18.0K
-88.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$84.3PKR 23.4K
$405MX$6,842
-79.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$248PKR 68.6K
$1,935MX$32.7K
-87.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$163PKR 45.1K
$1,301MX$22.0K
-87.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$834PKR 231.3K
$3,995MX$67.4K
-79.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$588PKR 163.1K
$6,626MX$111.8K
-91.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Haroonabad
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$749MX$12.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
14.22
11.45
24.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Haroonabad: August 31, 2026
Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $122 in Haroonabad and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $11.00 in Haroonabad vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $95.0 vs $277 per month, with Haroonabad cheaper across the board.
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
Haroonabad vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Haroonabad or Playa del Carmen?
Haroonabad wins on cost – living expenses run 165% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Haroonabad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Haroonabad and in Playa del Carmen?
You'd need roughly $732 in Haroonabad and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Haroonabad compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $122 in Haroonabad versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Haroonabad and in Playa del Carmen?
Childcare runs $10.84 in Haroonabad versus $225 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Haroonabad or in Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 191% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Haroonabad or in Playa del Carmen?
At $488 in Haroonabad versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Haroonabad but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Haroonabad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Haroonabad or Playa del Carmen?
Both work as nomad bases, but Haroonabad delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $488 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Haroonabad hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Haroonabad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 165% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Haroonabad vs other spots: cost of living compared