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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,141 in Islamabad, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 145% more than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Islamabad are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Islamabad 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.80 PKR 779

318.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$14.22 PKR 3,955

192.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$5.44 PKR 1,512

95.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$2.00 PKR 557

76.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.43 PKR 119

251.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.22 PKR 61.1

340.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$0.94 PKR 260

46.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$0.62 PKR 173

204.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.21 PKR 338

35.54%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$1.20 PKR 335

109.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.07 PKR 1,689

37.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.39 PKR 942

146.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$4.38 PKR 1,218

144.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$1.03 PKR 287

152.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$0.78 PKR 216

87.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$0.93 PKR 260

104.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$0.60 PKR 166

246.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.41 PKR 115

334.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$0.54 PKR 149

305.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$0.34 PKR 93.3

205.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.37 PKR 103

191.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$2.14 PKR 596

90.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.19 PKR 52.2

168.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$6.90 PKR 1,921

283.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.86 PKR 238

279.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.44 PKR 122

465.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$2.81 PKR 782

15.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$0.91 PKR 253

43.96%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

40.77%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

-10.39%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$112 PKR 31.1K

-25.84%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$5.44 PKR 1,512

308.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$18.81 PKR 5,234

55.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$22.19 PKR 6,174

132.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$6.04 PKR 1,679

203.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$4.21 PKR 1,171

20.43%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

233.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

85.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$21.57 PKR 5,999

71.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$27.63 PKR 7,686

44.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

-10.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

118.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$198 PKR 55.1K

391.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$112 PKR 31.1K

318.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$513 PKR 142.6K

220.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$296 PKR 82.3K

312.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

154.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$657 PKR 182.9K

888.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$387 PKR 107.8K

71.40%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $198 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 71% 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 $98.0 – 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 145%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $794 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 154% 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 $529, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.