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: $392 in Jhelum versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $596 in Jhelum versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $800 in Jhelum versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Jhelum costs roughly 70% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jhelum 72% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 PKR 495

$11.71 MX$199

-84.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.81 PKR 2,995

$46.59 MX$791

-76.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 PKR 1,460

$11.65 MX$198

-54.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.54 PKR 704

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 PKR 615

Cappuccino

$1.52 PKR 421

$4.09 MX$69.5

-62.84%

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

$0.43 PKR 119

$1.37 MX$23.34

-68.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 PKR 81.8

$0.83 MX$14.16

-63.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 PKR 177

$1.73 MX$29.33

-63.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 PKR 168

$2.26 MX$38.39

-73.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$1.77 MX$30.05

-30.51%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 339

$2.73 MX$46.41

-55.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.57 PKR 713

$9.18 MX$156

-72.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.32 PKR 643

$8.92 MX$151

-73.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.72 PKR 754

$12.60 MX$214

-78.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 PKR 302

$3.02 MX$51.3

-63.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 96.6

$1.57 MX$26.68

-77.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.54 PKR 150

$2.13 MX$36.10

-74.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 129

$2.26 MX$38.46

-79.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 86.9

$2.00 MX$34.04

-84.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 95.7

$2.06 MX$35.06

-83.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 PKR 138

$1.18 MX$20.04

-57.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 PKR 117

$1.20 MX$20.45

-65.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.82 PKR 506

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 154

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 PKR 753

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 PKR 645

$4.63 MX$78.7

-49.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 PKR 46.47

$0.57 MX$9.74

-70.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.75 PKR 2,424

$29.83 MX$507

-70.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 PKR 304

$5.45 MX$92.5

-79.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 PKR 291

$3.70 MX$62.9

-71.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 PKR 781

$5.98 MX$102

-52.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 PKR 309

$1.55 MX$26.38

-27.74%

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

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

$22.3K MX$379.2K

3.45%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.3M

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-11.95%

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

$66.8 PKR 18.5K

$89.1 MX$1,514

-25.03%

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

$5.54 PKR 1,536

$25.04 MX$425

-77.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.61 PKR 4,049

$31.50 MX$535

-53.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.94 PKR 3,586

$67.8 MX$1,151

-80.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$491

Cinema Ticket

$7.25 PKR 2,008

$5.05 MX$85.8

43.56%

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

$26.69 PKR 7,397

$225 MX$3,820

-88.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,005 PKR 555.6K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

-52.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.80 PKR 5,210

$47.44 MX$806

-60.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.60 PKR 7,373

$44.98 MX$764

-40.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.3 PKR 15.0K

$82.0 MX$1,392

-33.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.28 PKR 8,392

$92.1 MX$1,564

-67.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$116 PKR 32.3K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-89.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.7 PKR 22.1K

$405 MX$6,884

-80.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 PKR 67.3K

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-87.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 PKR 42.1K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-88.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$991 PKR 274.5K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-75.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$534 PKR 148.1K

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-91.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.83

11.45

3.32%

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

Last update for Jhelum: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $116 in Jhelum and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in Jhelum vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $70.0 vs $277 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 230% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $587 in Jhelum 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $116 in Jhelum versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 293% 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 $11.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $392 in Jhelum versus $1,293 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 230% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.