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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $324 in Jhelum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $510 in Jhelum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $696 in Jhelum.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 287% more expensive than in Jhelum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Jhelum 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$1.73 PKR 481

593.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$10.43 PKR 2,895

300.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$3.61 PKR 1,001

197.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 PKR 800

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 PKR 1,303

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.50 PKR 417

133.33%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.31 PKR 86.0

367.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.24 PKR 67.0

266.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.61 PKR 170

134.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.59 PKR 164

211.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.29 PKR 359

21.71%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.19 PKR 331

110.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$5.15 PKR 1,431

60.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$2.44 PKR 679

245.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$3.05 PKR 848

250.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$0.98 PKR 272

166.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.58 PKR 162

148.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.62 PKR 172

216.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.51 PKR 141

309.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.38 PKR 104

386.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.54 PKR 150

301.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.20 PKR 54.4

415.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.24 PKR 66.8

345.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.95 PKR 263

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PKR 189

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PKR 570

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$0.85 PKR 235

382.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.17 PKR 46.33

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$7.16 PKR 1,988

263.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.09 PKR 302

196.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.49 PKR 135

391.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.74 PKR 482

85.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.97 PKR 270

36.08%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$21.7K PKR 6.0M

36.99%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

10.61%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$52.2 PKR 14.5K

57.14%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$2.79 PKR 775

722.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$12.93 PKR 3,591

132.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$12.36 PKR 3,433

320.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$5.90 PKR 1,637

214.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$3.45 PKR 958

44.35%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$17.80 PKR 4,942

1009.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$1,152 PKR 319.8K

363.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$16.09 PKR 4,469

121.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$22.13 PKR 6,145

82.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$60.1 PKR 16.7K

30.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$25.89 PKR 7,189

243.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

1153.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$51.4 PKR 14.3K

822.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$165 PKR 45.8K

896.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$104 PKR 28.9K

1062.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$899 PKR 249.7K

351.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$543 PKR 150.7K

1092.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Jhelum: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $75.5 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 $78.0 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 287% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,884 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $75.5 in Jhelum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 218% 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 $324 in Jhelum versus $1,256 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 287% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.