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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $460 in Daska, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $707 in Daska, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $955 in Daska, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 177% more than Daska, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Daska are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Daska 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.87 PKR 797

313.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$13.96 PKR 3,880

207.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$5.23 PKR 1,454

103.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 480

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 PKR 1,056

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.00 PKR 557

72.50%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.43 PKR 119

248.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.24 PKR 67.1

295.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.96 PKR 266

43.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.66 PKR 183

180.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.28 PKR 355

25.78%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.25 PKR 348

107.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.13 PKR 1,703

34.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.49 PKR 972

139.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$4.46 PKR 1,239

139.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$0.99 PKR 275

165.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.79 PKR 219

88.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.89 PKR 247

115.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.60 PKR 166

248.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.42 PKR 116

342.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.57 PKR 159

296.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.30 PKR 84.6

253.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.41 PKR 113

165.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.47 PKR 408

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 PKR 236

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 566

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.08 PKR 579

99.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.16 PKR 45.55

237.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$7.22 PKR 2,006

273.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.86 PKR 239

263.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.41 PKR 113

512.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$2.82 PKR 783

11.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.92 PKR 257

38.04%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

46.01%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$26.4K PKR 7.3M

-10.81%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$112 PKR 31.1K

-25.69%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$5.36 PKR 1,491

323.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$18.98 PKR 5,277

55.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$12.61 PKR 3,505

304.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$6.07 PKR 1,687

201.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$4.21 PKR 1,172

17.10%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$60.0 PKR 16.7K

228.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$1,095 PKR 304.5K

382.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$21.86 PKR 6,078

68.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$28.43 PKR 7,904

40.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$90.0 PKR 25.0K

-11.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$39.43 PKR 11.0K

126.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$73.8 PKR 20.5K

1196.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$52.4 PKR 14.6K

810.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$170 PKR 47.2K

869.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$108 PKR 30.0K

1033.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$868 PKR 241.3K

351.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$451 PKR 125.5K

1330.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

20.2

-43.47%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Daska: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $73.8 in Daska. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Daska. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $100 – making Daska the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Daska: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 177% more than Daska, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $689 in Daska. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Daska, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 149% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $14.00 in Daska. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Daska, where all-in costs run around $460, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Daska it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Daska costs $460 versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Daska. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.