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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $500 in Mardan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $767 in Mardan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,033 in Mardan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 153% more expensive than in Mardan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Mardan 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.59 PKR 994

223.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$23.00 PKR 6,371

104.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.53 PKR 1,531

114.83%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 PKR 994

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 PKR 1,918

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.62 PKR 725

51.91%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.36 PKR 98.5

297.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.23 PKR 64.0

256.52%

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

$0.91 PKR 252

84.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.79 PKR 220

178.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.29 PKR 357

32.56%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.21 PKR 336

126.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$2.97 PKR 823

222.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.12 PKR 864

188.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$3.74 PKR 1,035

242.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$0.94 PKR 260

207.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.74 PKR 205

102.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.06 PKR 295

102.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.37 PKR 103

510.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.28 PKR 78.3

607.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.35 PKR 98.2

468.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.28 PKR 76.4

339.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.37 PKR 103

224.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 PKR 489

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 PKR 326

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 PKR 746

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$1.78 PKR 493

155.62%

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

$0.16 PKR 43.23

275.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$10.72 PKR 2,970

168.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.30 PKR 359

314.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.74 PKR 205

404.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$1.66 PKR 460

247.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.02 PKR 283

50.98%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

5.14%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

8.52%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$104 PKR 28.9K

-12.27%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$5.69 PKR 1,575

342.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$15.72 PKR 4,353

98.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$14.73 PKR 4,079

356.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.34 PKR 1,203

11.98%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$75.2 PKR 20.8K

197.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$1,028 PKR 284.9K

311.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$24.74 PKR 6,852

90.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$34.30 PKR 9,501

29.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$98.1 PKR 27.2K

-18.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$40.71 PKR 11.3K

127.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$128 PKR 35.4K

732.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$78.1 PKR 21.6K

399.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$250 PKR 69.4K

758.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$151 PKR 41.7K

744.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$994 PKR 275.4K

302.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$591 PKR 163.8K

999.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

13.08

-12.46%

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 Mardan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $128 in Mardan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $23.00 in Mardan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $85.0 per month, with Mardan 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 Mardan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mardan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 153% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $750 in Mardan 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 $128 in Mardan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $75.2 in Mardan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 224% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $500 in Mardan versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mardan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mardan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mardan 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.

Expats usually find Mardan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 153% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.