Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dera Ghazi Khan Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dera Ghazi Khan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $419 in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $630 in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $841 in Dera Ghazi Khan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 202% more expensive than in Dera Ghazi Khan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Dera Ghazi Khan 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$1.83 PKR 507

533.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$10.92 PKR 3,026

331.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.46 PKR 1,513

117.58%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 PKR 691

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 PKR 597

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.45 PKR 401

174.48%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.46 PKR 128

210.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.30 PKR 82.3

173.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.84 PKR 233

100.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.62 PKR 172

254.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.26 PKR 350

35.71%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.19 PKR 329

130.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.77 PKR 2,430

9.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$2.64 PKR 731

241.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$4.00 PKR 1,107

220.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.09 PKR 302

165.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.62 PKR 171

141.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.54 PKR 151

298.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.48 PKR 132

370.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.29 PKR 79.6

582.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.52 PKR 145

282.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.50 PKR 139

146.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.40 PKR 110

200.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.52 PKR 144

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 PKR 144

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 PKR 209

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.32 PKR 642

96.12%

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)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.18 PKR 50.9

233.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$9.94 PKR 2,752

189.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.10 PKR 303

390.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.06 PKR 295

251.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$2.92 PKR 809

97.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.95 PKR 264

62.11%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$23.3K PKR 6.4M

-3.08%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

13.58%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$68.1 PKR 18.9K

34.13%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$5.66 PKR 1,569

345.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$14.51 PKR 4,020

115.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$15.18 PKR 4,206

342.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.09 PKR 1,964

-31.45%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$26.95 PKR 7,465

729.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$2,022 PKR 560.1K

109.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$19.03 PKR 5,272

147.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$26.07 PKR 7,222

69.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$53.1 PKR 14.7K

50.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$29.24 PKR 8,100

216.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$140 PKR 38.8K

657.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$86.4 PKR 23.9K

351.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$222 PKR 61.5K

868.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$141 PKR 39.0K

803.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$905 PKR 250.6K

342.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$517 PKR 143.2K

1158.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.83

-3.21%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Dera Ghazi Khan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $140 in Dera Ghazi Khan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $11.00 in Dera Ghazi Khan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $98.0 per month, with Dera Ghazi Khan 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 Dera Ghazi Khan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Dera Ghazi Khan differ by about 202% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $419 including rent). Dera Ghazi Khan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $629 in Dera Ghazi Khan 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $140 in Dera Ghazi Khan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Dera Ghazi Khan runs roughly 190% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.95 in Dera Ghazi Khan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $419 in Dera Ghazi Khan versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dera Ghazi Khan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Dera Ghazi Khan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Dera Ghazi Khan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 202% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.