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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $504 in Jhang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $745 in Jhang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $987 in Jhang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 151% more than Jhang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Jhang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Jhang 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.56 PKR 710

353.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$14.39 PKR 3,984

227.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.74 PKR 1,589

106.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.62 PKR 1,004

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.52 PKR 1,528

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.67 PKR 740

49.06%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.43 PKR 118

232.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.26 PKR 72.1

215.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$0.88 PKR 243

90.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.67 PKR 186

228.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.16 PKR 322

47.41%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.16 PKR 321

136.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.42 PKR 1,779

49.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$2.52 PKR 697

257.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$4.83 PKR 1,339

165.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$1.19 PKR 328

142.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$0.69 PKR 190

117.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$0.90 PKR 248

138.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$0.66 PKR 182

242.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.28 PKR 76.5

607.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.33 PKR 90.2

503.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.46 PKR 128

167.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.34 PKR 93.2

252.94%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.11 PKR 308

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 PKR 170

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 PKR 474

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$2.11 PKR 585

115.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$0.18 PKR 50.5

233.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$9.27 PKR 2,568

210.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.87 PKR 240

519.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.74 PKR 204

404.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$1.77 PKR 490

225.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.32 PKR 364

16.67%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$18.2K PKR 5.0M

23.81%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$26.8K PKR 7.4M

-2.93%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$129 PKR 35.6K

-28.92%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$5.11 PKR 1,416

393.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$16.53 PKR 4,580

88.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$16.25 PKR 4,502

313.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$4.21 PKR 1,167

15.44%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$45.40 PKR 12.6K

392.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$1,938 PKR 536.7K

118.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$17.42 PKR 4,826

170.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$26.94 PKR 7,462

64.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$73.8 PKR 20.4K

8.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$31.40 PKR 8,698

195.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$131 PKR 36.2K

714.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$66.8 PKR 18.5K

483.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$278 PKR 77.1K

672.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$127 PKR 35.3K

898.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$943 PKR 261.2K

324.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$494 PKR 136.9K

1215.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.28

-19.82%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Jhang: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $131 in Jhang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Jhang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $95.0 – making Jhang 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 Jhang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 151%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $756 in Jhang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $504 in Jhang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 211% less in Jhang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jhang, where all-in costs run around $504, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Jhang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jhang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Jhang. 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.