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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $444 in Haroonabad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $661 in Haroonabad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $878 in Haroonabad.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 192% more expensive than Haroonabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Haroonabad 67% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73 MX$205
$2.16 PKR 602
443.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.62 MX$728
$10.76 PKR 2,993
286.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.64 MX$186
$4.34 PKR 1,207
145.16%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.88 PKR 801
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.75 PKR 1,044
-
Cappuccino
$3.52 MX$61.6
$2.38 PKR 661
47.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$26.42
$0.35 PKR 97.4
331.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 MX$17.03
$0.21 PKR 58.3
361.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.6
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45 MX$77.9
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$24.20
$0.95 PKR 264
45.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 MX$33.10
$0.58 PKR 160
225.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 MX$28.65
$1.16 PKR 322
41.38%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.84
$1.20 PKR 335
109.17%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.34 MX$146
$5.87 PKR 1,633
42.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.34 MX$146
$2.43 PKR 676
243.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.73 MX$188
$4.43 PKR 1,232
142.21%
Apples (1kg)
$2.60 MX$45.56
$1.01 PKR 282
157.43%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 MX$25.50
$0.65 PKR 180
124.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.90 MX$33.26
$0.61 PKR 171
211.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.33
$0.48 PKR 134
333.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 MX$31.07
$0.33 PKR 90.8
439.39%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 MX$38.23
$0.48 PKR 134
356.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.04 MX$18.20
$0.48 PKR 133
116.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.84
$0.36 PKR 102
200.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$0.88 PKR 246
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.51 PKR 142
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.10 PKR 307
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08 MX$71.4
$1.91 PKR 531
113.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.32 MX$181
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 MX$29.96
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 MX$45.06
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.92
$0.15 PKR 42.95
240.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.46 MX$463
$7.09 PKR 1,972
273.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 MX$57.1
$0.73 PKR 203
346.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.49 MX$43.59
$0.49 PKR 136
408.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.25 MX$56.8
$1.82 PKR 507
78.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.87
$0.91 PKR 252
43.96%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K MX$529.8K
$18.0K PKR 5.0M
68.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$410.0K
$22.9K PKR 6.4M
2.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.9 MX$1,450
$137 PKR 38.1K
-39.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.22 MX$389
$5.34 PKR 1,487
316.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.34 MX$513
$10.49 PKR 2,919
179.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 MX$903
$12.37 PKR 3,441
317.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.32 MX$321
$5.85 PKR 1,628
213.16%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07 MX$88.6
$4.13 PKR 1,150
22.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,514
$10.58 PKR 2,944
1798.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,212 MX$91.2K
$1,043 PKR 290.3K
399.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.92 MX$646
$10.74 PKR 2,989
243.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.79 MX$696
$22.47 PKR 6,254
77.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.5 MX$1,373
$73.1 PKR 20.3K
7.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.1 MX$1,524
$28.15 PKR 7,834
209.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$973 MX$17.0K
$76.0 PKR 21.1K
1180.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$468 MX$8,184
$51.7 PKR 14.4K
804.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 MX$28.7K
$165 PKR 45.9K
896.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,221 MX$21.4K
$105 PKR 29.3K
1057.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,946 MX$69.0K
$928 PKR 258.2K
325.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,498 MX$113.7K
$532 PKR 148.1K
1121.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Haroonabad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 MX$11.6K
-
-
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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Haroonabad: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $76.0 in Haroonabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $11.00 in Haroonabad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $90.0 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 192% 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 vs Haroonabad?
You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $667 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 vs Haroonabad?
Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $76.0 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 Haroonabad?
Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $10.58 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 Haroonabad?
Supermarket bills run roughly 178% 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 Haroonabad?
At $444 in Haroonabad versus $1,297 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 $444 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 192% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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