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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $534 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $847 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,160 in Islamabad, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 135% more than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Islamabad 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$2.85 PKR 791

320.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$14.26 PKR 3,960

192.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.44 PKR 1,511

97.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.97 PKR 547

77.66%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.40 PKR 110

262.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.24 PKR 67.0

266.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.96 PKR 268

48.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.66 PKR 183

178.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.28 PKR 355

22.66%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.20 PKR 334

109.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$6.07 PKR 1,687

36.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.37 PKR 937

150.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$4.35 PKR 1,209

145.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.04 PKR 289

150.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.84 PKR 234

71.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$0.91 PKR 253

115.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.56 PKR 156

273.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.41 PKR 115

351.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.57 PKR 158

280.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.31 PKR 85.4

232.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.41 PKR 113

160.98%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$2.14 PKR 595

91.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.17 PKR 46.51

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$7.22 PKR 2,005

260.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.85 PKR 236

280.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.43 PKR 120

460.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.79 PKR 775

15.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.98 PKR 271

34.69%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

42.09%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

-8.78%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$114 PKR 31.6K

-27.87%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$5.41 PKR 1,501

324.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$18.69 PKR 5,190

61.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$22.13 PKR 6,144

134.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$6.12 PKR 1,698

202.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$4.14 PKR 1,150

20.29%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

228.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

93.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$21.08 PKR 5,854

68.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$27.64 PKR 7,674

45.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

-10.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

117.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$199 PKR 55.3K

375.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$110 PKR 30.5K

330.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$505 PKR 140.1K

225.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$299 PKR 83.0K

305.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

168.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$647 PKR 179.8K

899.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$385 PKR 106.9K

69.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

20.2

-43.47%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $199 in Islamabad. 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 70% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $100 – making Islamabad 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 Islamabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 135%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $801 in Islamabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 150% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $14.00 in Islamabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Islamabad, where all-in costs run around $534, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Islamabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Islamabad – 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 Islamabad. 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.