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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $390 in Jhelum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $596 in Jhelum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $803 in Jhelum.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 225% more expensive than in Jhelum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Jhelum 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$1.76 PKR 488

559.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$10.62 PKR 2,943

343.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.25 PKR 1,456

126.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 PKR 707

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 PKR 607

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.52 PKR 422

161.84%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.47 PKR 131

204.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.32 PKR 89.2

156.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.63 PKR 174

166.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.66 PKR 182

233.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.27 PKR 351

34.65%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.21 PKR 335

126.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$2.66 PKR 738

260.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$2.33 PKR 645

286.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$2.62 PKR 725

388.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.04 PKR 287

177.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.35 PKR 96.5

328.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.55 PKR 152

290.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.47 PKR 129

380.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.31 PKR 87.0

538.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.37 PKR 104

437.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.54 PKR 150

127.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.42 PKR 117

185.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.78 PKR 494

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 PKR 146

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 PKR 722

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.36 PKR 653

92.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.18 PKR 48.68

233.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$9.48 PKR 2,625

203.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.05 PKR 291

413.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.06 PKR 295

251.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$2.84 PKR 788

103.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.11 PKR 308

38.74%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

-5.39%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

11.21%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$66.3 PKR 18.4K

37.91%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$5.65 PKR 1,566

346.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$14.69 PKR 4,070

112.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$15.16 PKR 4,198

343.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.29 PKR 2,020

-33.33%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$26.13 PKR 7,237

755.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$2,033 PKR 563.1K

108.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$18.92 PKR 5,241

148.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$26.69 PKR 7,395

65.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$54.8 PKR 15.2K

46.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$30.28 PKR 8,389

206.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$142 PKR 39.4K

646.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$72.2 PKR 20.0K

440.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$226 PKR 62.7K

849.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$161 PKR 44.5K

691.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$992 PKR 274.8K

303.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$494 PKR 136.9K

1215.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

11.83

-3.21%

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 Jhelum: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $142 in Jhelum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $11.00 in Jhelum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $71.0 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 225% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $585 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $142 in Jhelum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 289% 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 $11.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $390 in Jhelum versus $1,266 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 225% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.