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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $402 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $663 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $924 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 220% more than Dhulikhel, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dhulikhel are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Dhulikhel 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$1.77 NPR 270

574.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$18.90 NPR 2,872

126.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.41 NPR 974

65.21%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.54 NPR 233

135.06%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.55 NPR 82.9

167.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.17 NPR 25.22

452.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.64 NPR 401

17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.54 NPR 538

25.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.80 NPR 122

78.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.55 NPR 84.2

241.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.81 NPR 123

101.23%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.67 NPR 254

58.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.61 NPR 1,157

7.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.22 NPR 490

157.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.29 NPR 955

76.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.26 NPR 344

17.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.10 NPR 167

36.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.24 NPR 189

60.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.70 NPR 106

197.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.46 NPR 69.6

289.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.68 NPR 103

220.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.53 NPR 80.9

103.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.27 NPR 41.05

285.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.97 NPR 451

33.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.34 NPR 355

-26.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.32 NPR 504

-24.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.20 NPR 30.79

160.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.12 NPR 322

48.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.81 NPR 123

196.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$3.74 NPR 568

-17.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.24 NPR 188

2.42%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$31.4K NPR 4.8M

-1.75%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$40.8K NPR 6.2M

-42.81%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$26.75 NPR 4,064

206.58%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$4.84 NPR 735

363.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$9.48 NPR 1,440

212.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$17.92 NPR 2,722

189.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$2.77 NPR 420

79.42%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$72.8 NPR 11.1K

171.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$2,793 NPR 424.2K

88.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$25.27 NPR 3,838

43.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$28.13 NPR 4,274

42.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$46.06 NPR 6,997

73.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$29.13 NPR 4,425

205.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$103 NPR 15.6K

836.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$63.9 NPR 9,699

627.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$204 NPR 30.9K

683.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$145 NPR 22.0K

733.85%

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

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 Dhulikhel: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $103 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Dhulikhel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $134 – 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 220%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $603 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 $43.00 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 87% 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 $402, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.