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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $475 in Nawabshah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $701 in Nawabshah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $927 in Nawabshah.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 167% more expensive than in Nawabshah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Nawabshah 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$2.12 PKR 587

447.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$13.41 PKR 3,715

251.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.34 PKR 1,479

122.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 PKR 593

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 PKR 1,943

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.23 PKR 617

78.48%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.39 PKR 107

266.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.24 PKR 66.1

241.67%

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

$0.85 PKR 235

97.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.56 PKR 154

292.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.20 PKR 331

42.50%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.22 PKR 339

124.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$6.25 PKR 1,730

53.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.05 PKR 844

195.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$6.07 PKR 1,681

111.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.22 PKR 338

136.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.60 PKR 165

150.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.03 PKR 285

108.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.56 PKR 154

303.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.34 PKR 94.5

482.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.31 PKR 85.6

541.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.36 PKR 101

241.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.44 PKR 121

172.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.23 PKR 341

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 PKR 375

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 PKR 665

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$1.82 PKR 505

150.00%

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 45.17

275.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$9.07 PKR 2,512

217.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$0.73 PKR 203

638.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$0.69 PKR 192

440.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$2.11 PKR 584

173.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.28 PKR 355

20.31%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

26.53%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$26.7K PKR 7.4M

-2.25%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$109 PKR 30.2K

-16.27%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$5.82 PKR 1,613

332.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$13.40 PKR 3,711

133.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$13.49 PKR 3,736

398.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$4.37 PKR 1,210

11.21%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$49.92 PKR 13.8K

347.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$1,599 PKR 442.9K

164.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$15.42 PKR 4,272

205.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$21.92 PKR 6,072

102.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$69.6 PKR 19.3K

15.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$38.71 PKR 10.7K

139.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$126 PKR 34.8K

744.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$78.0 PKR 21.6K

400.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$258 PKR 71.4K

734.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$150 PKR 41.4K

750.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$965 PKR 267.3K

314.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$443 PKR 122.8K

1367.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$126 PKR 34.9K

501.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

12.88

-11.10%

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 Nawabshah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $126 in Nawabshah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 501% 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 $13.00 in Nawabshah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $101 per month, with Nawabshah 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 Nawabshah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nawabshah wins on cost – living expenses run 167% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nawabshah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 501% 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 $126 in Nawabshah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 174% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nawabshah – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $475 in Nawabshah versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nawabshah but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Nawabshah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nawabshah delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $475 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nawabshah hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Nawabshah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 167% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.