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: $500 in Mardan versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $767 in Mardan versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,033 in Mardan versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mardan costs roughly 61% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mardan 63% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 PKR 994

$11.60 MX$200

-69.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.00 PKR 6,371

$47.11 MX$812

-51.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 PKR 1,531

$11.88 MX$205

-53.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 PKR 994

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 PKR 1,918

Cappuccino

$2.62 PKR 725

$3.98 MX$68.6

-34.17%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.5

$1.43 MX$24.60

-74.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.0

$0.82 MX$14.22

-71.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 252

$1.68 MX$28.89

-45.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 220

$2.20 MX$37.88

-64.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 357

$1.71 MX$29.45

-24.56%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 336

$2.74 MX$47.26

-55.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.97 PKR 823

$9.58 MX$165

-69.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 PKR 864

$9.01 MX$155

-65.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.74 PKR 1,035

$12.81 MX$221

-70.80%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 260

$2.89 MX$49.81

-67.47%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 205

$1.50 MX$25.81

-50.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 295

$2.15 MX$37.03

-50.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 103

$2.26 MX$38.96

-83.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 78.3

$1.98 MX$34.15

-85.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$1.99 MX$34.30

-82.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 76.4

$1.23 MX$21.28

-77.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$1.20 MX$20.63

-69.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 PKR 489

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 PKR 326

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 PKR 746

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 PKR 493

$4.55 MX$78.5

-60.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.23

$0.60 MX$10.35

-73.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.72 PKR 2,970

$28.80 MX$497

-62.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 PKR 359

$5.39 MX$92.9

-75.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 205

$3.73 MX$64.3

-80.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 PKR 460

$5.77 MX$99.5

-71.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.54 MX$26.48

-33.77%

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

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

-4.89%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-7.85%

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

$104 PKR 28.9K

$91.4 MX$1,576

13.99%

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

$5.69 PKR 1,575

$25.20 MX$435

-77.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.72 PKR 4,353

$31.24 MX$539

-49.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.73 PKR 4,079

$67.2 MX$1,159

-78.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,203

$4.86 MX$83.8

-10.70%

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

$75.2 PKR 20.8K

$224 MX$3,856

-66.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,028 PKR 284.9K

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-75.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.74 PKR 6,852

$47.10 MX$812

-47.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.30 PKR 9,501

$44.29 MX$764

-22.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 PKR 27.2K

$80.1 MX$1,381

22.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.71 PKR 11.3K

$92.7 MX$1,598

-56.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$128 PKR 35.4K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-87.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.1 PKR 21.6K

$390 MX$6,728

-79.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 PKR 69.4K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-88.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 PKR 41.7K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-88.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$994 PKR 275.4K

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-75.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$591 PKR 163.8K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-90.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

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 Mardan: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $128 in Mardan and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Mardan vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $85.0 vs $276 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 Clothing & Footwear, Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 153% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $750 in Mardan and $1,899 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: $128 in Mardan versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $75.2 in Mardan versus $224 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 224% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $500 in Mardan versus $1,266 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 153% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.