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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $370 in Jhang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $585 in Jhang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $801 in Jhang, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 244% more than Jhang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Jhang are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Jhang 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$1.82 PKR 506

552.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$14.03 PKR 3,902

205.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$3.44 PKR 956

209.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.79 PKR 775

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 PKR 1,056

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.29 PKR 636

50.66%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.33 PKR 91.1

354.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.23 PKR 64.2

313.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.57 PKR 159

142.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.57 PKR 159

224.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.17 PKR 326

37.61%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.04 PKR 289

149.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.15 PKR 1,710

34.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.05 PKR 847

174.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$4.49 PKR 1,247

137.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.03 PKR 285

155.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.61 PKR 168

144.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.58 PKR 160

231.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.44 PKR 123

375.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.35 PKR 98.6

431.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.48 PKR 134

370.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.47 PKR 131

125.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.36 PKR 101

202.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.94 PKR 262

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 153

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 PKR 294

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$0.80 PKR 222

418.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.19 PKR 53.1

184.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$7.11 PKR 1,977

278.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.69 PKR 190

353.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.50 PKR 138

402.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$1.75 PKR 487

80.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.90 PKR 250

41.11%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

74.04%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

3.85%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$70.1 PKR 19.5K

18.37%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$3.90 PKR 1,084

482.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$10.75 PKR 2,989

174.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$12.30 PKR 3,419

314.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$6.10 PKR 1,695

200.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.51 PKR 975

40.46%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$15.86 PKR 4,408

1144.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$1,214 PKR 337.4K

335.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$15.18 PKR 4,222

143.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$20.95 PKR 5,826

90.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$72.6 PKR 20.2K

10.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$29.91 PKR 8,315

199.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$75.4 PKR 21.0K

1168.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$51.3 PKR 14.3K

830.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$169 PKR 46.9K

875.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$108 PKR 30.0K

1036.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$891 PKR 247.6K

339.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$492 PKR 136.8K

1213.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$143 PKR 39.7K

366.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-36.56%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Jhang: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $75.4 in Jhang. 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 367% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Jhang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $89.0 – 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 244%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $554 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $370 in Jhang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 279% 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 $370, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.