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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $329 in Dharan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $559 in Dharan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $788 in Dharan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 293% more than Dharan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dharan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Dharan 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$2.14 NPR 324

448.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$19.03 NPR 2,879

119.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.66 NPR 1,007

56.31%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$1.77 NPR 267

103.95%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.35 NPR 53.1

317.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.13 NPR 19.45

646.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.64 NPR 399

10.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$3.58 NPR 542

29.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$0.66 NPR 101

116.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.37 NPR 56.3

413.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$0.76 NPR 115

106.58%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.50 NPR 227

76.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$7.33 NPR 1,109

15.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$2.99 NPR 452

186.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$5.07 NPR 767

116.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.04 NPR 309

32.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$0.54 NPR 81.1

179.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$0.63 NPR 96.0

203.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$0.41 NPR 62.8

429.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.30 NPR 45.46

523.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.53 NPR 80.9

320.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.50 NPR 75.3

116.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.23 NPR 34.44

365.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$2.94 NPR 445

41.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$3.01 NPR 455

241.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.30 NPR 348

-26.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$3.32 NPR 502

-23.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.23 NPR 34.54

139.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$2.13 NPR 323

50.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.78 NPR 118

215.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$3.70 NPR 560

-13.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.38 NPR 209

-4.35%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$31.7K NPR 4.8M

-5.02%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$40.6K NPR 6.1M

-42.43%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$26.15 NPR 3,957

211.09%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$4.98 NPR 753

350.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$11.71 NPR 1,772

155.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$12.81 NPR 1,938

302.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$2.85 NPR 431

81.05%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$21.99 NPR 3,328

817.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$2,709 NPR 409.9K

96.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$12.98 NPR 1,964

174.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$27.60 NPR 4,175

46.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$29.57 NPR 4,474

165.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$33.19 NPR 5,021

161.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$39.47 NPR 5,972

2306.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$20.35 NPR 3,078

2249.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$88.1 NPR 13.3K

1740.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$53.9 NPR 8,161

2166.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$182 NPR 27.5K

269.88%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Dharan: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.47 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 270% 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: $254 vs $120 – 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 293% 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $494 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 $329, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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 $329 versus $1,294 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.