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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $321 in Biratnagar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $525 in Biratnagar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $728 in Biratnagar.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 303% more expensive than in Biratnagar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Biratnagar 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$1.53 NPR 231

665.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$13.97 NPR 2,114

233.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$7.77 NPR 1,175

49.94%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$1.20 NPR 181

240.83%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.34 NPR 51.8

302.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$1.52 NPR 229

120.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$2.19 NPR 331

215.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$0.57 NPR 85.9

203.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$0.38 NPR 57.8

494.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$0.64 NPR 96.2

176.56%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$1.26 NPR 190

116.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$4.53 NPR 686

102.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$2.64 NPR 400

237.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$3.18 NPR 481

296.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$1.93 NPR 293

56.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$0.83 NPR 125

89.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$1.35 NPR 204

57.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$0.48 NPR 72.8

370.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$0.36 NPR 54.8

455.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$0.47 NPR 71.1

338.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.27 NPR 41.23

337.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.29 NPR 43.87

313.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$2.60 NPR 393

78.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$1.67 NPR 253

-2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$2.33 NPR 353

23.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.13 NPR 20.13

338.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$11.90 NPR 1,801

150.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$1.96 NPR 296

178.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$2.36 NPR 357

153.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$1.19 NPR 180

30.25%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$21.4K NPR 3.2M

4.10%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

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

$25.04 MX$423

$4.13 NPR 625

506.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$9.32 NPR 1,409

237.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$28.04 NPR 4,243

141.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$1.99 NPR 301

1353.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$3.16 NPR 478

59.81%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$48.06 NPR 7,271

368.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$1,768 NPR 267.5K

138.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$20.75 NPR 3,140

128.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$32.97 NPR 4,988

36.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$24.24 NPR 3,666

238.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$30.07 NPR 4,549

206.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$46.58 NPR 7,046

2195.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$51.8 NPR 7,842

681.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$132 NPR 20.0K

1363.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$98.4 NPR 14.9K

1222.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$388 NPR 58.7K

929.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$260 NPR 39.4K

2447.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$163 NPR 24.6K

360.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-18.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Biratnagar: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $46.58 in Biratnagar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 360% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $14.00 in Biratnagar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $95.0 per month, with Biratnagar 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

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

Biratnagar is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 303% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 360% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.58 in Biratnagar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 190% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Biratnagar – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $321 in Biratnagar versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Biratnagar but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Biratnagar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Biratnagar 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 Biratnagar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 303% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.