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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $400 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $663 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $925 in Dhulikhel, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 217% 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

$11.87 MX$204

$1.79 NPR 272

563.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$19.30 NPR 2,936

122.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.58 NPR 1,001

61.85%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.49 NPR 226

131.54%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.54 NPR 82.8

177.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.19 NPR 28.44

400.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.51 NPR 382

20.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.73 NPR 567

23.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.76 NPR 116

81.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.55 NPR 84.4

236.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.81 NPR 123

98.77%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.73 NPR 263

49.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.48 NPR 1,139

10.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.13 NPR 477

167.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$6.03 NPR 918

76.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.27 NPR 346

15.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.04 NPR 158

43.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.25 NPR 190

53.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.70 NPR 107

198.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.48 NPR 73.7

287.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.63 NPR 95.8

258.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.52 NPR 79.4

103.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.27 NPR 41.39

303.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.93 NPR 446

41.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.36 NPR 360

-27.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.31 NPR 504

-21.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.22 NPR 33.51

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$2.22 NPR 337

40.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.75 NPR 114

234.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$3.70 NPR 564

-14.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.24 NPR 189

2.42%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$31.5K NPR 4.8M

-3.65%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$41.2K NPR 6.3M

-42.85%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$26.98 NPR 4,106

207.64%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$4.92 NPR 748

361.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$9.64 NPR 1,467

205.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$18.11 NPR 2,756

181.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$2.77 NPR 421

77.98%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$72.7 NPR 11.1K

171.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,718 NPR 413.6K

94.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$24.44 NPR 3,719

50.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$27.43 NPR 4,174

45.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$44.83 NPR 6,821

78.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$29.08 NPR 4,425

207.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$107 NPR 16.2K

795.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$64.7 NPR 9,849

637.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$208 NPR 31.7K

689.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$147 NPR 22.3K

734.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Dhulikhel: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $107 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: $250 vs $132 – 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 217%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $601 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 89% 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 $400, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.