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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $451 in Sheikhupura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $663 in Sheikhupura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $876 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 4% lower, Sheikhupura 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$2.89 PKR 806

313.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$14.39 PKR 4,017

197.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$5.43 PKR 1,516

95.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 483

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 PKR 1,089

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.08 PKR 581

74.04%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.43 PKR 120

241.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.24 PKR 67.1

291.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$0.55 PKR 153

160.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.55 PKR 155

241.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.09 PKR 303

49.54%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.21 PKR 338

118.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$6.34 PKR 1,771

29.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$1.82 PKR 509

355.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$2.90 PKR 808

282.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$1.01 PKR 281

162.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$0.78 PKR 216

92.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$0.96 PKR 267

107.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$0.57 PKR 159

264.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$0.39 PKR 109

358.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$0.58 PKR 161

275.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.33 PKR 92.1

227.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.38 PKR 106

173.68%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.39 PKR 388

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 257

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 548

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$2.06 PKR 575

92.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.20 PKR 54.8

160.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$6.95 PKR 1,940

288.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.85 PKR 238

269.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.41 PKR 114

485.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$2.88 PKR 804

7.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$0.91 PKR 255

39.56%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

45.79%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$26.6K PKR 7.4M

-12.35%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$111 PKR 31.0K

-26.07%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$5.53 PKR 1,545

305.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$18.40 PKR 5,135

61.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$12.31 PKR 3,435

321.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$5.83 PKR 1,626

220.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$4.14 PKR 1,156

20.05%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$60.7 PKR 16.9K

225.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$1,102 PKR 307.5K

378.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$21.06 PKR 5,877

72.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$28.26 PKR 7,887

41.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$86.8 PKR 24.2K

-7.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$40.58 PKR 11.3K

119.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$73.8 PKR 20.6K

1205.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$50.9 PKR 14.2K

812.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$166 PKR 46.2K

863.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$108 PKR 30.2K

1017.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$761 PKR 212.4K

417.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$613 PKR 171.1K

951.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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 Sheikhupura: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $73.8 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: $251 vs $82.0 – 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

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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $676 in Sheikhupura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $451 in Sheikhupura. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 288% less in Sheikhupura. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sheikhupura, where all-in costs run around $451, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Sheikhupura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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.