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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $337 in Dharan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $561 in Dharan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $785 in Dharan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 282% more than Dharan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dharan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Dharan 75% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.14 NPR 325

457.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$18.80 NPR 2,855

127.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.61 NPR 1,005

60.21%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.86 NPR 283

94.62%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.33 NPR 49.73

345.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.15 NPR 22.93

526.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.66 NPR 405

16.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.71 NPR 564

20.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.71 NPR 108

101.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.37 NPR 56.4

408.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.75 NPR 114

117.33%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.57 NPR 238

68.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.35 NPR 1,117

11.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.92 NPR 444

183.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$4.99 NPR 758

122.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.99 NPR 302

33.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.57 NPR 85.9

163.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.63 NPR 96.2

215.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.39 NPR 59.2

433.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.30 NPR 46.20

496.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.52 NPR 79.3

319.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.53 NPR 80.2

103.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.20 NPR 30.37

420.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.93 NPR 444

35.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$3.05 NPR 463

234.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.27 NPR 344

-23.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.37 NPR 512

-25.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.18 NPR 27.15

188.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.17 NPR 329

44.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.82 NPR 125

192.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$3.58 NPR 543

-13.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.36 NPR 207

-6.62%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$32.3K NPR 4.9M

-4.30%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$40.5K NPR 6.2M

-42.43%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$26.26 NPR 3,989

212.30%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$4.81 NPR 730

366.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$11.62 NPR 1,765

155.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$12.51 NPR 1,900

314.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$2.95 NPR 448

68.47%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$21.91 NPR 3,328

802.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,693 NPR 409.1K

95.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$12.56 NPR 1,908

189.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$27.80 NPR 4,223

44.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$28.74 NPR 4,366

177.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$32.25 NPR 4,899

175.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$39.99 NPR 6,075

2308.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$20.39 NPR 3,098

2179.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$87.8 NPR 13.3K

1719.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$53.9 NPR 8,192

2141.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$185 NPR 28.1K

289.95%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Dharan: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.99 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 290% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Dharan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 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 282% 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $505 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 $43.00 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 109% 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 $337, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $337 versus $1,287 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.