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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $446 in Sheikhupura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $671 in Sheikhupura, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $895 in Sheikhupura, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 185% more than Sheikhupura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sheikhupura are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sheikhupura 67% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Sheikhupura
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87 MX$204
$2.75 PKR 764
331.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90 MX$736
$14.25 PKR 3,963
201.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.65 MX$183
$5.39 PKR 1,499
97.59%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.80 PKR 500
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.84 PKR 1,066
-
Cappuccino
$3.45 MX$59.2
$2.06 PKR 574
67.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50 MX$25.81
$0.42 PKR 118
257.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95 MX$16.28
$0.22 PKR 60.9
331.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.03 MX$51.9
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61 MX$79.1
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Sheikhupura
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.61
$0.55 PKR 154
150.91%
White Bread (500g)
$1.85 MX$31.70
$0.52 PKR 144
255.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.61 MX$27.65
$1.04 PKR 288
54.81%
Eggs
$2.59 MX$44.51
$1.21 PKR 337
114.05%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.26 MX$142
$6.19 PKR 1,720
33.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.37 MX$144
$1.75 PKR 487
378.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.66 MX$183
$2.76 PKR 767
286.23%
Apples (1kg)
$2.63 MX$45.12
$1.04 PKR 289
152.88%
Banana (1kg)
$1.49 MX$25.53
$0.83 PKR 230
79.52%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.92 MX$32.94
$0.96 PKR 268
100.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.09 MX$35.81
$0.59 PKR 165
254.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 MX$31.88
$0.42 PKR 116
342.86%
Onion (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.81
$0.54 PKR 149
318.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 MX$18.23
$0.33 PKR 92.0
221.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09 MX$18.67
$0.40 PKR 111
172.50%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.41 PKR 392
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.88 PKR 243
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.96 PKR 546
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15 MX$71.2
$2.13 PKR 593
94.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.39 MX$178
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 MX$29.59
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 MX$44.85
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Sheikhupura
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.54 MX$9.30
$0.16 PKR 44.85
237.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.94 MX$462
$6.90 PKR 1,919
290.43%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.13 MX$53.7
$0.92 PKR 256
240.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.51 MX$43.09
$0.44 PKR 121
470.45%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 MX$54.1
$2.88 PKR 800
9.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 MX$21.88
$0.96 PKR 267
32.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K MX$521.3K
$21.3K PKR 5.9M
42.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6K MX$404.5K
$26.2K PKR 7.3M
-10.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Sheikhupura
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 MX$1,425
$111 PKR 31.0K
-25.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71 MX$390
$5.65 PKR 1,572
301.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46 MX$506
$18.78 PKR 5,221
56.87%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Sheikhupura
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 MX$875
$12.25 PKR 3,406
316.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33 MX$315
$6.06 PKR 1,684
202.48%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93 MX$84.5
$4.20 PKR 1,167
17.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Sheikhupura
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$197 MX$3,386
$59.0 PKR 16.4K
234.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,280 MX$90.6K
$1,125 PKR 312.7K
369.51%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Sheikhupura
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90 MX$633
$21.70 PKR 6,032
70.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89 MX$685
$27.77 PKR 7,722
43.64%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.0 MX$1,373
$88.8 PKR 24.7K
-9.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5 MX$1,536
$39.37 PKR 10.9K
127.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Sheikhupura
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$956 MX$16.4K
$76.2 PKR 21.2K
1155.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$477 MX$8,189
$52.9 PKR 14.7K
802.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,646 MX$28.3K
$167 PKR 46.5K
883.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,225 MX$21.0K
$106 PKR 29.5K
1056.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,918 MX$67.2K
$1,035 PKR 287.8K
278.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,459 MX$110.9K
$537 PKR 149.4K
1102.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Sheikhupura
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$667 MX$11.4K
-
-
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 7, 2026

Last update for Sheikhupura: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $76.2 in Sheikhupura. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Sheikhupura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $81.0 – making Sheikhupura the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Sheikhupura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sheikhupura cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 185%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $669 in Sheikhupura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Sheikhupura, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Sheikhupura?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $446 in Sheikhupura. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 290% less in Sheikhupura. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Sheikhupura?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sheikhupura, where all-in costs run around $446, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Sheikhupura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Sheikhupura more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sheikhupura – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Sheikhupura. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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