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: $1,294 in Playa del Carmen versus $425 in Mardan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,189 in Playa del Carmen versus $639 in Mardan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,084 in Playa del Carmen versus $852 in Mardan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 204% more expensive than Mardan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Mardan 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$2.16 PKR 601

443.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$14.27 PKR 3,966

192.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$5.24 PKR 1,458

98.66%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 PKR 497

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 PKR 1,085

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.02 PKR 560

78.71%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.29 PKR 79.8

403.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.24 PKR 66.8

304.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$0.77 PKR 213

85.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.63 PKR 175

201.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$0.84 PKR 235

86.90%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.18 PKR 329

123.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$6.10 PKR 1,696

38.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$2.37 PKR 658

262.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$3.25 PKR 903

238.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$0.69 PKR 191

291.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$0.50 PKR 140

202.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$0.96 PKR 266

98.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$0.33 PKR 91.9

557.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.24 PKR 66.3

679.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.36 PKR 101

519.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.33 PKR 92.0

227.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.14 PKR 39.76

664.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.45 PKR 404

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 257

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 562

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$1.45 PKR 404

186.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.15 PKR 42.86

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$6.98 PKR 1,941

276.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.34 PKR 93.5

841.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.35 PKR 96.4

602.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$1.80 PKR 499

77.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$0.98 PKR 271

34.69%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

44.54%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$26.1K PKR 7.2M

-10.22%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$113 PKR 31.5K

-28.19%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$5.55 PKR 1,543

303.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$18.61 PKR 5,173

61.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$12.45 PKR 3,462

314.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$5.99 PKR 1,666

207.01%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$4.28 PKR 1,189

20.56%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$17.48 PKR 4,860

1054.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$1,117 PKR 310.7K

375.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$21.77 PKR 6,053

63.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$28.11 PKR 7,815

43.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$88.0 PKR 24.5K

-10.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$18.03 PKR 5,012

381.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$74.8 PKR 20.8K

1169.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$51.3 PKR 14.3K

832.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$169 PKR 47.1K

856.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$105 PKR 29.1K

1068.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$752 PKR 209.0K

433.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$436 PKR 121.1K

1385.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$275 PKR 76.4K

144.95%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Mardan: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $950 in Playa del Carmen and $74.8 in Mardan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 145% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $14.00 in Mardan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 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 204% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 145% 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: $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $74.8 in Mardan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.48 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 $425 in Mardan versus $1,294 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 204% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.