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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $433 in Mardan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $641 in Mardan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $848 in Mardan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 197% more expensive than Mardan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Mardan 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.18 PKR 607

447.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$14.39 PKR 4,012

197.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$5.35 PKR 1,491

97.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 488

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 PKR 1,097

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.06 PKR 574

75.73%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.29 PKR 79.8

406.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.22 PKR 61.0

327.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.78 PKR 216

83.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.65 PKR 182

189.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.84 PKR 233

94.05%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.16 PKR 322

127.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.03 PKR 1,680

36.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.39 PKR 666

246.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$3.10 PKR 866

258.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$0.74 PKR 205

258.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.55 PKR 152

172.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.95 PKR 266

109.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.30 PKR 84.8

593.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.24 PKR 66.8

645.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.37 PKR 102

489.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.31 PKR 86.1

248.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.15 PKR 41.17

593.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 552

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 243

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 554

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$1.37 PKR 383

189.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.18 PKR 49.01

188.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$7.04 PKR 1,964

283.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.36 PKR 102

772.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.34 PKR 96.0

605.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$1.81 PKR 506

70.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.97 PKR 271

30.93%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

48.30%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

-11.12%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$114 PKR 31.8K

-28.16%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$5.37 PKR 1,497

318.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$18.43 PKR 5,137

60.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$12.43 PKR 3,464

317.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$5.91 PKR 1,647

215.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.18 PKR 1,165

18.90%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$17.36 PKR 4,839

1039.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$1,128 PKR 314.4K

367.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$21.42 PKR 5,970

69.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$27.91 PKR 7,781

43.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$89.5 PKR 25.0K

-10.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$17.55 PKR 4,893

406.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$75.8 PKR 21.1K

1171.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

800.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$164 PKR 45.8K

871.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$108 PKR 30.1K

1018.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$270 PKR 75.2K

167.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

20.2

-43.47%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mardan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $75.8 in Mardan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 167% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $14.00 in Mardan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $78.0 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 197% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 167% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $75.8 in Mardan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.36 in Mardan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 220% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $433 in Mardan versus $1,287 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 197% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.