Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Islamabad: $599 a month against $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
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Islamabad Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$599

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,210

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Islamabad 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 Islamabad and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $599 per month in Islamabad vs $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Islamabad $599
Playa del Carmen $1,210

A couple spends around $930 per month in Islamabad vs $2,113 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Islamabad $930
Playa del Carmen $2,113

A family of three spends $1,261 per month in Islamabad vs $3,016 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Islamabad $1,261
Playa del Carmen $3,016

Islamabad is about 50% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Islamabad and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Islamabad 56% lower, Playa del Carmen 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 PKR 1,004

$10.76 MX$199

-66.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.40 PKR 6,478

$43.03 MX$795

-45.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 PKR 1,534

$11.79 MX$218

-53.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 PKR 987

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 PKR 1,864

Cappuccino

$2.64 PKR 730

$3.87 MX$71.4

-31.78%

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

$0.32 PKR 89.6

$1.37 MX$25.29

-76.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.7

$0.84 MX$15.44

-72.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.10 MX$57.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.07 MX$93.6

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 259

$1.44 MX$26.55

-34.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 PKR 200

$2.23 MX$41.23

-67.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 361

$1.47 MX$27.17

-11.56%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 339

$2.53 MX$46.71

-51.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 PKR 1,674

$7.30 MX$135

-17.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 PKR 855

$7.86 MX$145

-60.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.35 PKR 1,482

$12.79 MX$236

-58.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 350

$2.90 MX$53.6

-56.55%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 241

$1.44 MX$26.53

-39.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 288

$2.55 MX$47.07

-59.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 146

$2.06 MX$38.03

-74.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.2

$2.00 MX$36.97

-85.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.4

$2.01 MX$37.07

-82.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 76.4

$1.19 MX$22.02

-76.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 108

$1.26 MX$23.23

-69.05%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.95 PKR 539

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 PKR 331

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 PKR 743

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.24 PKR 619

$4.40 MX$81.4

-49.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.59 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$29.41

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 MX$51.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.07

$0.57 MX$10.47

-71.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.34 PKR 5,905

$27.82 MX$514

-23.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 PKR 344

$4.98 MX$92.1

-75.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 204

$3.50 MX$64.6

-78.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 PKR 442

$5.40 MX$99.8

-70.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 PKR 378

$1.47 MX$27.08

-6.80%

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

$54.5K PKR 15.1M

$21.0K MX$387.8K

159.67%

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

$23.9K PKR 6.6M

$23.9K MX$441.8K

-0.21%

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

$103 PKR 28.6K

$84.2 MX$1,556

22.62%

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

$5.99 PKR 1,658

$23.99 MX$443

-75.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.15 PKR 4,746

$29.02 MX$536

-40.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.20 PKR 7,806

$63.0 MX$1,164

-55.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.47 PKR 2,344

$29.14 MX$539

-70.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 PKR 1,226

$4.94 MX$91.3

-10.32%

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

$75.7 PKR 20.9K

$204 MX$3,763

-62.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,004 PKR 1.4M

$3,941 MX$72.8K

26.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.72 PKR 7,118

$43.60 MX$806

-41.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.48 PKR 9,543

$43.12 MX$797

-20.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 PKR 26.4K

$75.8 MX$1,400

26.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.32 PKR 11.4K

$88.6 MX$1,637

-53.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 PKR 76.5K

$1,008 MX$18.6K

-72.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 PKR 38.3K

$374 MX$6,911

-62.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 PKR 158.2K

$1,708 MX$31.6K

-66.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 PKR 74.9K

$1,106 MX$20.4K

-75.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,629 PKR 450.8K

$3,944 MX$72.9K

-58.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$836 PKR 231.5K

$6,169 MX$114.0K

-86.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 PKR 105.2K

$754 MX$13.9K

-49.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

11.45

14.24%

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

Last update for Islamabad: October 10, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Islamabad

$139 23.1%

Playa del Carmen

$374 30.9% 170% $235

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Islamabad

$126 21.1%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.3% 8.6% $11

Groceries & Markets

Islamabad

$102 17%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.4% 153% $156

Clothing & Footwear

Islamabad

$89 14.8%

Playa del Carmen

$113 9.3% 27.4% $24

Eating Out

Islamabad

$80 13.3%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.7% 154% $123

Sport & Entertainment

Islamabad

$37 6.2%

Playa del Carmen

$73 6% 96.6% $36

Getting Around

Islamabad

$27 4.5%

Playa del Carmen

$53 4.3% 95.5% $26

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $276 in Islamabad versus $1,008 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 98% 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 $23.00 in Islamabad versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $102 vs $258 – making Islamabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

17:01 5:01 PM

07:01 7:01 AM

10 h behind Islamabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,009,832 Capital

149,923

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Islamabad Playa del Carmen 13,620 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Islamabad
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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 102%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $899 per month in Islamabad and $1,816 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 Islamabad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 153% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Islamabad and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Islamabad, where all-in costs run around $599, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,210. In Islamabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Islamabad – 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 Islamabad. 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.