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: $425 in Mardan versus $1,294 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $639 in Mardan versus $2,189 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $852 in Mardan versus $3,084 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mardan costs roughly 67% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mardan 68% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.16 PKR 601

$11.73 MX$202

-81.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.27 PKR 3,966

$41.78 MX$719

-65.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 PKR 1,458

$10.41 MX$179

-49.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 PKR 497

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 PKR 1,085

Cappuccino

$2.02 PKR 560

$3.61 MX$62.1

-44.04%

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

$0.29 PKR 79.8

$1.46 MX$25.06

-80.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 PKR 66.8

$0.97 MX$16.70

-75.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 PKR 213

$1.43 MX$24.59

-46.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 PKR 175

$1.90 MX$32.70

-66.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 235

$1.57 MX$26.95

-46.50%

Eggs

$1.18 PKR 329

$2.64 MX$45.34

-55.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.10 PKR 1,696

$8.44 MX$145

-27.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.37 PKR 658

$8.58 MX$148

-72.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.25 PKR 903

$11.00 MX$189

-70.45%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 191

$2.70 MX$46.51

-74.44%

Banana (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$1.51 MX$25.92

-66.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.96 PKR 266

$1.91 MX$32.93

-49.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 91.9

$2.17 MX$37.37

-84.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.3

$1.87 MX$32.25

-87.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 101

$2.23 MX$38.43

-83.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 92.0

$1.08 MX$18.60

-69.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.14 PKR 39.76

$1.07 MX$18.47

-86.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.45 PKR 404

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 257

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 562

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.45 PKR 404

$4.16 MX$71.6

-65.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.15 PKR 42.86

$0.55 MX$9.53

-72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.98 PKR 1,941

$26.29 MX$452

-73.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 PKR 93.5

$3.20 MX$55.0

-89.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 96.4

$2.46 MX$42.37

-85.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 PKR 499

$3.20 MX$55.0

-43.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 271

$1.32 MX$22.72

-25.76%

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

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

$30.2K MX$518.8K

-30.81%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.2M

$23.4K MX$402.5K

11.38%

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

$113 PKR 31.5K

$81.4 MX$1,400

39.25%

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

$5.55 PKR 1,543

$22.41 MX$386

-75.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 PKR 5,173

$29.97 MX$516

-37.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.45 PKR 3,462

$51.6 MX$887

-75.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.99 PKR 1,666

$18.39 MX$316

-67.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 PKR 1,189

$5.16 MX$88.9

-17.05%

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

$17.48 PKR 4,860

$202 MX$3,471

-91.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,117 PKR 310.7K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

-78.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.77 PKR 6,053

$35.61 MX$613

-38.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.11 PKR 7,815

$40.37 MX$695

-30.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 PKR 24.5K

$78.6 MX$1,353

11.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.03 PKR 5,012

$86.9 MX$1,495

-79.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.8 PKR 20.8K

$950 MX$16.3K

-92.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.3 PKR 14.3K

$478 MX$8,227

-89.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$169 PKR 47.1K

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-89.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$105 PKR 29.1K

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-91.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$752 PKR 209.0K

$4,009 MX$69.0K

-81.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$436 PKR 121.1K

$6,473 MX$111.4K

-93.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$275 PKR 76.4K

$673 MX$11.6K

-59.18%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $74.8 in Mardan and $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 145% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $78.0 vs $254 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 204% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 145% 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: $74.8 in Mardan versus $950 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $17.48 in Mardan versus $202 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 $425 in Mardan versus $1,294 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 204% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.