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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $396 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $668 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $941 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 218% more than Dhulikhel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$1.84 NPR 281

536.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$18.57 NPR 2,834

125.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.73 NPR 1,027

56.17%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.48 NPR 225

142.57%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.54 NPR 82.0

179.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.17 NPR 26.14

441.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.67 NPR 407

10.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.69 NPR 562

19.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.74 NPR 112

89.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.55 NPR 83.6

241.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.77 NPR 117

102.60%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.71 NPR 260

52.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.24 NPR 1,106

14.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.20 NPR 488

160.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$6.15 NPR 938

76.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.21 NPR 338

22.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.09 NPR 167

38.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.24 NPR 190

50.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.69 NPR 105

217.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.48 NPR 73.6

287.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.64 NPR 97.1

248.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.49 NPR 74.4

118.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.27 NPR 41.28

303.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.82 NPR 431

48.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.34 NPR 357

-29.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.22 NPR 492

-18.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.20 NPR 29.80

170.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.23 NPR 340

38.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.75 NPR 115

220.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$3.71 NPR 566

-15.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.28 NPR 195

2.34%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$32.4K NPR 4.9M

-7.87%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$39.9K NPR 6.1M

-41.50%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$26.77 NPR 4,086

203.62%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$4.81 NPR 734

369.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$9.48 NPR 1,447

216.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$18.46 NPR 2,818

186.62%

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

$73.9 NPR 11.3K

171.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$2,773 NPR 423.3K

86.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$25.31 NPR 3,863

41.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$27.28 NPR 4,163

47.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$45.07 NPR 6,879

76.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$29.33 NPR 4,476

194.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$106 NPR 16.2K

821.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$64.1 NPR 9,788

633.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$205 NPR 31.3K

706.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$143 NPR 21.8K

742.52%

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 Dhulikhel: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $106 in Dhulikhel. 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 $19.00 in Dhulikhel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $131 – making Dhulikhel 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 Dhulikhel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 218%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $593 in Dhulikhel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dhulikhel, 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 Dhulikhel. 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Dhulikhel, where all-in costs run around $396, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Dhulikhel it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dhulikhel – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Dhulikhel. 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.