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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $399 in Dhangadhi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $653 in Dhangadhi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $907 in Dhangadhi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 219% more than Dhangadhi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dhangadhi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Dhangadhi 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$1.85 NPR 282

541.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$14.60 NPR 2,222

193.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$9.30 NPR 1,415

14.52%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.54 NPR 234

124.03%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.52 NPR 79.6

188.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.16 NPR 25.01

493.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.58 NPR 392

17.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.57 NPR 543

29.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.64 NPR 97.1

115.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.55 NPR 84.3

236.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.83 NPR 126

93.98%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.74 NPR 264

48.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.39 NPR 1,124

11.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.13 NPR 476

167.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$6.07 NPR 924

75.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.28 NPR 348

15.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.06 NPR 161

40.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.20 NPR 182

60.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.69 NPR 105

202.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.45 NPR 69.0

313.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.68 NPR 103

232.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.53 NPR 80.8

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.27 NPR 41.40

303.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$3.00 NPR 456

38.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.25 NPR 343

-23.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.36 NPR 511

-22.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.17 NPR 26.21

217.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$2.24 NPR 342

39.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.80 NPR 122

213.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$3.68 NPR 561

-14.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.27 NPR 194

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$32.2K NPR 4.9M

-5.59%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$40.1K NPR 6.1M

-41.24%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$26.70 NPR 4,062

210.86%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$4.93 NPR 750

360.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$9.57 NPR 1,456

207.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$17.90 NPR 2,723

184.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$2.68 NPR 409

83.96%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$72.6 NPR 11.0K

171.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,733 NPR 415.9K

93.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$24.94 NPR 3,795

47.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$27.09 NPR 4,122

47.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$45.38 NPR 6,905

76.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$29.27 NPR 4,455

205.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$105 NPR 16.0K

810.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$64.9 NPR 9,876

635.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$207 NPR 31.5K

696.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$147 NPR 22.4K

731.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

12.08

-5.46%

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 Dhangadhi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $105 in Dhangadhi. 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 $15.00 in Dhangadhi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $130 – making Dhangadhi 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 Dhangadhi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $399 in Dhangadhi – roughly 219% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $598 in Dhangadhi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $15.00 in Dhangadhi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 92% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Dhangadhi, where all-in costs run around $399, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Dhangadhi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $399 in Dhangadhi to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Dhangadhi. 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.