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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $407 in Dhangadhi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $650 in Dhangadhi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $893 in Dhangadhi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 210% 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 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$1.80 NPR 275

551.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$14.29 NPR 2,181

193.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$9.23 NPR 1,408

13.87%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.50 NPR 229

139.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.52 NPR 80.0

190.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.17 NPR 26.34

441.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.65 NPR 405

11.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.66 NPR 559

20.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.63 NPR 96.6

122.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.56 NPR 85.1

235.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.76 NPR 116

105.26%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.67 NPR 255

56.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.31 NPR 1,116

13.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.10 NPR 473

169.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$5.94 NPR 907

82.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.26 NPR 345

19.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.05 NPR 160

43.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.19 NPR 182

57.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.65 NPR 99.4

236.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.48 NPR 73.5

287.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.64 NPR 97.1

248.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.53 NPR 81.0

101.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.27 NPR 41.42

303.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.85 NPR 435

47.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.35 NPR 359

-29.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.26 NPR 497

-19.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.19 NPR 29.01

184.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.20 NPR 335

40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.83 NPR 127

189.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$3.70 NPR 564

-15.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.22 NPR 187

7.38%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$31.9K NPR 4.9M

-6.68%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$40.2K NPR 6.1M

-41.94%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$26.16 NPR 3,992

210.70%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$4.79 NPR 731

370.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$9.52 NPR 1,453

215.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$17.95 NPR 2,740

194.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$2.66 NPR 406

84.96%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$72.3 NPR 11.0K

177.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$2,700 NPR 412.1K

91.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$25.07 NPR 3,826

43.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$27.84 NPR 4,249

44.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$44.62 NPR 6,810

78.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$28.58 NPR 4,361

202.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$103 NPR 15.8K

845.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$63.1 NPR 9,637

645.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$209 NPR 31.9K

689.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$147 NPR 22.5K

717.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Dhangadhi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $103 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Dhangadhi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $129 – 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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $407 in Dhangadhi – roughly 210% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $610 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $14.00 in Dhangadhi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 95% 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 $407, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $407 in Dhangadhi to $1,260 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.