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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $332 in Dharan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $560 in Dharan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $788 in Dharan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 279% more than Dharan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dharan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Dharan 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$2.13 NPR 326

450.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$18.61 NPR 2,840

125.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.41 NPR 978

63.96%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.84 NPR 280

95.11%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.36 NPR 54.4

319.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.16 NPR 23.66

475.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.55 NPR 389

16.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.68 NPR 562

19.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.66 NPR 100

112.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.37 NPR 56.5

408.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.76 NPR 115

105.26%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.57 NPR 240

66.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.23 NPR 1,104

15.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.98 NPR 455

180.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$5.12 NPR 781

112.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.99 NPR 304

36.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.54 NPR 81.8

179.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.68 NPR 104

175.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.39 NPR 59.5

461.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.30 NPR 46.43

520.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.53 NPR 80.2

320.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.52 NPR 79.6

105.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.18 NPR 27.45

505.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.93 NPR 447

43.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$2.85 NPR 435

265.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.29 NPR 350

-27.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.32 NPR 507

-21.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.19 NPR 28.40

184.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.22 NPR 338

38.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.81 NPR 124

196.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$3.70 NPR 565

-15.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.33 NPR 202

-1.50%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$31.7K NPR 4.8M

-5.87%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$40.1K NPR 6.1M

-41.79%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$26.37 NPR 4,025

208.23%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$4.82 NPR 736

368.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$11.52 NPR 1,759

160.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$12.86 NPR 1,962

311.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$2.83 NPR 432

73.85%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$21.97 NPR 3,354

814.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$2,715 NPR 414.3K

90.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$12.60 NPR 1,923

185.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$27.37 NPR 4,177

46.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$29.45 NPR 4,495

170.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$33.13 NPR 5,057

160.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$40.44 NPR 6,172

2318.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$20.36 NPR 3,107

2210.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$87.5 NPR 13.3K

1788.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$54.0 NPR 8,238

2129.44%

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

$132 NPR 20.1K

412.72%

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 Dharan: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.44 in Dharan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 413% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Dharan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $119 – making Dharan 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 Dharan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 279% more than Dharan, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $498 in Dharan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dharan, 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 $19.00 in Dharan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 111% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dharan, where all-in costs run around $332, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Dharan 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. Dharan costs $332 versus $1,260 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 Dharan. 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.