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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $325 in Jhelum versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $512 in Jhelum versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $700 in Jhelum versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Jhelum costs roughly 75% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jhelum 76% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 PKR 496

$11.73 MX$203

-84.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.47 PKR 2,911

$41.62 MX$721

-74.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.58 PKR 996

$10.64 MX$184

-66.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 PKR 806

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 PKR 1,363

Cappuccino

$1.51 PKR 419

$3.52 MX$61.0

-57.10%

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

$0.33 PKR 91.9

$1.51 MX$26.17

-78.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 67.0

$0.97 MX$16.87

-75.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

Milk (1 liter)

$0.56 PKR 156

$1.38 MX$23.97

-59.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 PKR 165

$1.89 MX$32.78

-68.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 351

$1.64 MX$28.37

-23.17%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 320

$2.51 MX$43.42

-54.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.06 PKR 1,408

$8.34 MX$145

-39.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.38 PKR 662

$8.34 MX$145

-71.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.07 PKR 854

$10.73 MX$186

-71.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 287

$2.60 MX$45.12

-60.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 151

$1.46 MX$25.25

-63.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 175

$1.90 MX$32.94

-66.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 PKR 142

$2.08 MX$35.98

-75.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 96.9

$1.78 MX$30.77

-80.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$2.19 MX$37.87

-74.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.19 PKR 51.5

$1.04 MX$18.02

-81.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.2

$1.08 MX$18.66

-79.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.01 PKR 282

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 PKR 204

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 PKR 550

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.84 PKR 235

$4.08 MX$70.7

-79.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 51.0

$0.51 MX$8.83

-64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.92 PKR 1,924

$26.46 MX$459

-73.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 PKR 299

$3.26 MX$56.5

-67.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 PKR 148

$2.49 MX$43.17

-78.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 PKR 497

$3.25 MX$56.3

-44.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 269

$1.31 MX$22.65

-25.95%

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

$22.2K PKR 6.2M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-26.61%

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

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-11.10%

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

$52.9 PKR 14.7K

$82.9 MX$1,436

-36.14%

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

$2.87 PKR 799

$22.22 MX$385

-87.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.02 PKR 3,623

$29.34 MX$508

-55.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.58 PKR 3,500

$51.6 MX$895

-75.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.85 PKR 1,628

$18.32 MX$317

-68.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 PKR 957

$5.07 MX$87.8

-32.15%

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

$17.79 PKR 4,950

$201 MX$3,480

-91.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,111 PKR 309.1K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-78.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.17 PKR 4,498

$36.92 MX$640

-56.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.32 PKR 6,210

$39.79 MX$689

-43.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.8 PKR 16.6K

$78.5 MX$1,360

-23.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.22 PKR 7,294

$87.1 MX$1,509

-69.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.5 PKR 20.7K

$973 MX$16.9K

-92.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.4 PKR 14.6K

$468 MX$8,105

-88.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.5K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-90.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.9K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-91.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$851 PKR 236.6K

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-78.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$454 PKR 126.3K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-93.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

57.62%

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

Last update for Jhelum: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $74.5 in Jhelum and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $10.00 in Jhelum vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $76.0 vs $249 per month, with Jhelum 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

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

Jhelum is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 300% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $487 in Jhelum and $1,945 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $74.5 in Jhelum versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 226% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Jhelum – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $325 in Jhelum versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jhelum but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Jhelum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jhelum is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Jhelum and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jhelum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 300% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.