😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $452 in Haroonabad.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Playa del Carmen versus $665 in Haroonabad.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,095 in Playa del Carmen versus $877 in Haroonabad.
🌍Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 178% more expensive than in Haroonabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen6% lower, Haroonabad66% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.95MX$208
$2.15PKR 596
455.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.94MX$730
$10.42PKR 2,893
302.50%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.42MX$181
$4.21PKR 1,170
147.51%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.79PKR 776
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.74PKR 1,038
-
Cappuccino
$3.51MX$61.2
$2.29PKR 635
53.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52MX$26.39
$0.33PKR 91.0
360.61%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91MX$15.84
$0.23PKR 64.0
295.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.04MX$52.9
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37MX$76.1
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.42MX$24.73
$0.95PKR 265
49.47%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83MX$31.87
$0.61PKR 170
200.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.45
$1.17PKR 325
39.32%
Eggs
$2.54MX$44.20
$1.20PKR 333
111.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.57MX$149
$6.15PKR 1,708
39.35%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.49MX$148
$2.45PKR 680
246.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.80MX$188
$4.49PKR 1,248
140.53%
Apples(1kg)
$2.75MX$47.94
$1.05PKR 292
161.90%
Banana(1kg)
$1.44MX$25.00
$0.65PKR 180
121.54%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.89MX$32.83
$0.61PKR 169
209.84%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.17MX$37.77
$0.48PKR 133
352.08%
Potato(1kg)
$1.78MX$30.97
$0.35PKR 97.5
408.57%
Onion(1kg)
$2.22MX$38.71
$0.48PKR 132
362.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.07MX$18.60
$0.48PKR 133
122.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08MX$18.79
$0.37PKR 101
191.89%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$1.07PKR 296
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.55PKR 154
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.06PKR 294
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$72.2
$1.89PKR 526
119.58%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.45MX$182
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74MX$30.34
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58MX$44.92
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.51MX$8.94
$0.20PKR 56.4
155.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$25.94MX$451
$7.27PKR 2,019
256.81%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.21MX$55.9
$0.68PKR 190
372.06%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.50MX$43.55
$0.49PKR 137
410.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.19MX$55.4
$1.81PKR 503
76.24%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.26MX$21.87
$0.88PKR 245
43.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.7KMX$516.6K
$17.6KPKR 4.9M
68.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.7KMX$412.1K
$23.1KPKR 6.4M
2.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,427
$136PKR 37.8K
-39.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.73MX$395
$5.30PKR 1,470
328.87%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.42MX$512
$10.53PKR 2,923
179.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.2MX$908
$12.50PKR 3,471
317.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.45MX$321
$6.07PKR 1,686
203.95%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$85.9
$4.15PKR 1,153
18.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$202MX$3,511
$10.78PKR 2,993
1771.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,217MX$90.8K
$1,070PKR 297.0K
387.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.93MX$625
$10.46PKR 2,904
243.50%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.33MX$702
$22.51PKR 6,250
79.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,390
$72.3PKR 20.1K
10.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3MX$1,554
$28.06PKR 7,791
218.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$948MX$16.5K
$74.9PKR 20.8K
1166.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,097
$51.1PKR 14.2K
810.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,630MX$28.4K
$168PKR 46.7K
869.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,193MX$20.8K
$104PKR 29.0K
1042.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,933MX$68.4K
$818PKR 227.2K
380.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,428MX$111.9K
$491PKR 136.2K
1210.42%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$658MX$11.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
19.88
-42.56%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026
Last update for Haroonabad: July 22, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Playa del Carmen and $74.9 in Haroonabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $10.00 in Haroonabad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $92.0 per month, with Haroonabad cheaper across the board.
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 Haroonabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Haroonabad?
Haroonabad wins on cost – living expenses run 178% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Haroonabad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Haroonabad?
You'd need roughly $1,888 in Playa del Carmen and $679 in Haroonabad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Playa del Carmen compared to Haroonabad?
Rent for a central apartment: $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $74.9 in Haroonabad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Playa del Carmen and in Haroonabad?
Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $10.78 in Haroonabad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Playa del Carmen or in Haroonabad?
Supermarket bills run roughly 176% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or in Haroonabad?
At $452 in Haroonabad versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Haroonabad but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Haroonabad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Haroonabad?
Both work as nomad bases, but Haroonabad delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $452 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Haroonabad hard to pass up.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Haroonabad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 178% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared