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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $385 in Gilgit, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $583 in Gilgit, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $780 in Gilgit, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 234% more than Gilgit, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Gilgit are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Gilgit 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$1.81 PKR 505

559.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$10.79 PKR 3,008

296.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$4.14 PKR 1,155

155.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 503

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 PKR 1,008

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.43 PKR 400

153.15%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.32 PKR 88.8

359.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.23 PKR 64.4

308.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.72 PKR 200

98.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.59 PKR 165

218.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.15 PKR 321

41.74%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.24 PKR 346

112.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$3.95 PKR 1,100

107.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.00 PKR 837

176.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$3.61 PKR 1,006

207.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$0.51 PKR 143

419.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.51 PKR 142

194.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.65 PKR 181

206.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.52 PKR 144

300.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.35 PKR 97.2

411.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.60 PKR 169

263.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.33 PKR 92.3

227.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.47 PKR 132

121.28%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.23 PKR 344

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 257

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 553

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$1.91 PKR 532

107.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.20 PKR 57.0

160.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$6.89 PKR 1,920

291.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.86 PKR 240

265.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.44 PKR 122

445.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$1.74 PKR 484

77.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.97 PKR 270

30.93%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$21.4K PKR 6.0M

44.15%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$23.1K PKR 6.4M

0.89%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$103 PKR 28.7K

-20.37%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$1.93 PKR 538

1063.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$13.63 PKR 3,799

117.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$12.33 PKR 3,438

320.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$5.97 PKR 1,663

212.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.62 PKR 1,009

37.29%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$14.35 PKR 4,001

1278.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$1,116 PKR 311.2K

372.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$14.95 PKR 4,168

143.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$22.52 PKR 6,277

77.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$68.8 PKR 19.2K

16.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$29.02 PKR 8,091

206.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

1169.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$52.3 PKR 14.6K

788.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$169 PKR 47.2K

842.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$104 PKR 29.0K

1061.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$813 PKR 226.7K

384.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$584 PKR 162.8K

1004.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$179 PKR 50.0K

301.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-39.89%

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 Gilgit: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $75.9 in Gilgit. 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 301% 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 $11.00 in Gilgit. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $80.0 – making Gilgit 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 Gilgit: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 234% more than Gilgit, 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 $578 in Gilgit. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gilgit, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 212% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $11.00 in Gilgit. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Gilgit, where all-in costs run around $385, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Gilgit 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. Gilgit costs $385 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 Gilgit. 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.