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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $387 in Biratnagar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $644 in Biratnagar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $901 in Biratnagar.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 235% more expensive than Biratnagar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Biratnagar 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.66 NPR 253

606.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$17.92 NPR 2,728

132.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.42 NPR 1,282

26.37%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.50 NPR 229

134.67%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.38 NPR 57.4

297.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.20 NPR 29.71

385.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$1.61 NPR 246

83.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.58 NPR 392

72.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$0.68 NPR 103

102.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.43 NPR 65.1

339.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.71 NPR 107

130.99%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.40 NPR 213

79.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.24 NPR 797

59.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.93 NPR 447

184.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$3.39 NPR 516

216.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.23 NPR 340

16.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.84 NPR 128

73.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.49 NPR 226

27.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.58 NPR 88.4

258.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.40 NPR 61.0

345.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.52 NPR 78.8

321.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.53 NPR 80.7

96.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.32 NPR 48.20

237.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.86 NPR 435

42.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.29 NPR 349

-25.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$3.29 NPR 501

-21.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.15 NPR 23.07

240.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$12.94 NPR 1,969

104.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.19 NPR 334

48.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.82 NPR 125

203.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$2.50 NPR 381

30.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.25 NPR 190

4.80%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$31.5K NPR 4.8M

-3.92%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$39.9K NPR 6.1M

-41.21%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$26.64 NPR 4,055

211.07%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$4.72 NPR 719

370.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$10.10 NPR 1,538

190.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$18.54 NPR 2,821

178.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$2.17 NPR 330

744.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.43 NPR 522

47.81%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$53.4 NPR 8,128

276.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$1,968 NPR 299.6K

164.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$25.03 NPR 3,811

47.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$35.75 NPR 5,441

11.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$27.21 NPR 4,142

188.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$32.65 NPR 4,970

166.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$106 NPR 16.2K

816.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$58.6 NPR 8,917

698.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$206 NPR 31.3K

698.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$142 NPR 21.7K

756.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$388 NPR 59.0K

917.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$261 NPR 39.7K

2390.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$164 NPR 25.0K

304.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-18.43%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Biratnagar: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $106 in Biratnagar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 304% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $18.00 in Biratnagar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $111 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 235% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 304% more on average, 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $106 in Biratnagar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 124% 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 $18.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $387 in Biratnagar versus $1,297 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 235% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.