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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $325 in Jhelum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $512 in Jhelum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $700 in Jhelum.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 300% more expensive than Jhelum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Jhelum 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$1.78 PKR 496

558.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$10.47 PKR 2,911

297.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.58 PKR 996

197.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 PKR 806

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 PKR 1,363

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.51 PKR 419

133.11%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.33 PKR 91.9

357.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.24 PKR 67.0

304.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.56 PKR 156

146.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.59 PKR 165

220.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.26 PKR 351

30.16%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.15 PKR 320

118.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.06 PKR 1,408

64.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$2.38 PKR 662

250.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$3.07 PKR 854

249.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.03 PKR 287

152.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.54 PKR 151

170.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.63 PKR 175

201.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.51 PKR 142

307.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.35 PKR 96.9

408.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.55 PKR 154

298.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.19 PKR 51.5

447.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.22 PKR 61.2

390.91%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.01 PKR 282

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 PKR 204

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 PKR 550

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$0.84 PKR 235

385.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.18 PKR 51.0

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$6.92 PKR 1,924

282.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.07 PKR 299

204.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.53 PKR 148

369.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$1.79 PKR 497

81.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.97 PKR 269

35.05%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$22.2K PKR 6.2M

36.27%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

12.49%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$52.9 PKR 14.7K

56.59%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$2.87 PKR 799

674.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$13.02 PKR 3,623

125.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$12.58 PKR 3,500

310.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$5.85 PKR 1,628

213.16%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$3.44 PKR 957

47.38%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$17.79 PKR 4,950

1028.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$1,111 PKR 309.1K

368.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$16.17 PKR 4,498

128.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$22.32 PKR 6,210

78.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$59.8 PKR 16.6K

31.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$26.22 PKR 7,294

232.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$74.5 PKR 20.7K

1205.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$52.4 PKR 14.6K

792.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$164 PKR 45.5K

902.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$108 PKR 29.9K

1035.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$851 PKR 236.6K

363.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$454 PKR 126.3K

1331.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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 2, 2026

Last update for Jhelum: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $74.5 in Jhelum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $10.00 in Jhelum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $76.0 per month, with Jhelum cheaper across the board.

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 Jhelum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jhelum is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 300% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $487 in Jhelum to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $74.5 in Jhelum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 226% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Jhelum – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $325 in Jhelum versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jhelum but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Jhelum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jhelum is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Jhelum are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jhelum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 300% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.