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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $525 in Multan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $750 in Multan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $976 in Multan.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 141% more expensive than in Multan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Multan 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.51 PKR 695

362.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$10.95 PKR 3,033

330.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.51 PKR 1,528

115.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 PKR 729

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.24 PKR 1,452

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.77 PKR 490

124.86%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.28 PKR 77.3

410.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.20 PKR 54.7

310.00%

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

$0.67 PKR 184

150.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.54 PKR 150

307.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.02 PKR 283

67.65%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.15 PKR 318

138.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.13 PKR 1,976

34.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$2.39 PKR 661

276.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$4.25 PKR 1,178

201.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$0.92 PKR 254

214.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.52 PKR 145

188.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.71 PKR 195

202.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.59 PKR 162

283.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.37 PKR 102

435.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.43 PKR 120

362.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.47 PKR 129

161.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.37 PKR 104

224.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 PKR 501

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 PKR 777

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.12 PKR 589

114.62%

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

$0.18 PKR 48.56

233.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$7.32 PKR 2,026

293.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.48 PKR 409

264.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.35 PKR 96.9

965.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$0.88 PKR 244

555.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.10 PKR 304

40.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$25.5K PKR 7.1M

-11.48%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

-2.02%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$147 PKR 40.7K

-37.87%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$4.83 PKR 1,338

421.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$18.85 PKR 5,223

65.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$23.83 PKR 6,602

182.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$3.56 PKR 986

717.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.44 PKR 1,229

9.46%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$42.39 PKR 11.7K

427.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$1,029 PKR 285.1K

310.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$18.02 PKR 4,991

161.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$18.90 PKR 5,236

134.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$93.5 PKR 25.9K

-14.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$25.90 PKR 7,174

257.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$145 PKR 40.2K

631.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$90.5 PKR 25.1K

331.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$215 PKR 59.6K

898.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$149 PKR 41.3K

752.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$185 PKR 51.2K

310.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-11.92%

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 Multan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $145 in Multan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 310% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $11.00 in Multan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $89.0 per month, with Multan 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 Multan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Multan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 141% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 310% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $145 in Multan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $42.39 in Multan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 211% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $525 in Multan versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Multan but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Multan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Multan 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 Multan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.