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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $589 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $918 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,246 in Islamabad, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 119% 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 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$3.57 PKR 990

228.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$22.74 PKR 6,309

104.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$5.47 PKR 1,517

112.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 PKR 986

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.71 PKR 1,862

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$2.39 PKR 663

71.13%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.32 PKR 90.0

328.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.22 PKR 60.8

277.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$0.99 PKR 275

74.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$0.79 PKR 220

186.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.28 PKR 354

38.28%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$1.28 PKR 356

113.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$6.11 PKR 1,695

50.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$3.06 PKR 849

191.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$5.12 PKR 1,421

146.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$1.34 PKR 371

125.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$0.84 PKR 232

86.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$1.02 PKR 282

108.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$0.49 PKR 135

361.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$0.29 PKR 81.2

589.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$0.33 PKR 90.4

524.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.29 PKR 80.8

306.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.38 PKR 106

215.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.90 PKR 528

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 PKR 383

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 PKR 652

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$2.28 PKR 632

103.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.16 PKR 44.31

256.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$21.23 PKR 5,889

40.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$1.27 PKR 353

329.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.69 PKR 191

436.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$1.65 PKR 459

262.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$1.32 PKR 365

17.42%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$53.9K PKR 15.0M

-58.61%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$25.1K PKR 7.0M

3.37%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$102 PKR 28.3K

-12.70%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$5.83 PKR 1,618

329.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$16.34 PKR 4,534

92.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$29.09 PKR 8,071

133.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$8.93 PKR 2,478

223.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$5.01 PKR 1,390

0.80%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$75.0 PKR 20.8K

199.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$5,084 PKR 1.4M

-16.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$23.55 PKR 6,532

101.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$32.68 PKR 9,066

37.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$83.6 PKR 23.2K

-1.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$39.29 PKR 10.9K

134.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$277 PKR 76.8K

286.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$144 PKR 40.0K

180.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$577 PKR 160.1K

235.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$266 PKR 73.9K

388.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$1,635 PKR 453.5K

144.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$829 PKR 230.1K

698.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$381 PKR 105.8K

96.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

13.08

-12.46%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $277 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 96% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $103 – 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 119%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $884 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 170% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $23.00 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 $589, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.