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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $433 in Mardan versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $641 in Mardan versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $848 in Mardan versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mardan costs roughly 66% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mardan 68% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 PKR 607

$11.94 MX$209

-81.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.39 PKR 4,012

$42.75 MX$748

-66.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 PKR 1,491

$10.59 MX$185

-49.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 488

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 PKR 1,097

Cappuccino

$2.06 PKR 574

$3.62 MX$63.4

-43.09%

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

$0.29 PKR 79.8

$1.47 MX$25.69

-80.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.0

$0.94 MX$16.51

-76.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 PKR 216

$1.43 MX$24.94

-45.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 PKR 182

$1.88 MX$32.97

-65.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$1.63 MX$28.50

-48.47%

Eggs

$1.16 PKR 322

$2.64 MX$46.26

-56.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 PKR 1,680

$8.21 MX$144

-26.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.39 PKR 666

$8.29 MX$145

-71.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.10 PKR 866

$11.10 MX$194

-72.07%

Apples (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 205

$2.65 MX$46.40

-72.08%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$1.50 MX$26.26

-63.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 PKR 266

$1.99 MX$34.79

-52.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 84.8

$2.08 MX$36.33

-85.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.8

$1.79 MX$31.29

-86.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$2.18 MX$38.09

-83.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 86.1

$1.08 MX$18.84

-71.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.15 PKR 41.17

$1.04 MX$18.15

-85.58%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 552

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 243

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 554

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.37 PKR 383

$3.97 MX$69.5

-65.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.01

$0.52 MX$9.07

-65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.04 PKR 1,964

$26.97 MX$472

-73.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 PKR 102

$3.14 MX$55.0

-88.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 PKR 96.0

$2.40 MX$42.04

-85.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 506

$3.09 MX$54.0

-41.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 271

$1.27 MX$22.28

-23.62%

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

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-32.57%

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

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

12.52%

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

$114 PKR 31.8K

$82.0 MX$1,435

39.20%

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

$5.37 PKR 1,497

$22.45 MX$393

-76.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.43 PKR 5,137

$29.66 MX$519

-37.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.43 PKR 3,464

$51.9 MX$908

-76.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.91 PKR 1,647

$18.67 MX$327

-68.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 PKR 1,165

$4.97 MX$87.0

-15.90%

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

$17.36 PKR 4,839

$198 MX$3,462

-91.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,128 PKR 314.4K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-78.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.42 PKR 5,970

$36.34 MX$636

-41.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.91 PKR 7,781

$40.05 MX$701

-30.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 PKR 25.0K

$79.9 MX$1,398

12.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.55 PKR 4,893

$88.9 MX$1,555

-80.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.8 PKR 21.1K

$963 MX$16.9K

-92.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

$465 MX$8,133

-88.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.8K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-89.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.1K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-91.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$270 PKR 75.2K

$720 MX$12.6K

-62.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

11.42

76.88%

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

Last update for Mardan: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.8 in Mardan and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 167% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $14.00 in Mardan vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $78.0 vs $251 per month, with Mardan 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

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

Mardan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 197% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 167% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $75.8 in Mardan versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $17.36 in Mardan versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 220% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $433 in Mardan versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mardan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mardan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mardan 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.

Expats usually find Mardan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 197% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.