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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $437 in Skardu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $661 in Skardu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $885 in Skardu, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 196% more than Skardu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Skardu are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Skardu 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$2.38 PKR 660

392.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$786

$12.05 PKR 3,341

286.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$4.76 PKR 1,319

144.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 PKR 778

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 PKR 1,403

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$1.44 PKR 399

184.03%

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

$1.37 MX$23.20

$0.39 PKR 107

251.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.07

$0.23 PKR 64.6

260.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.15

$0.87 PKR 242

98.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.15

$0.59 PKR 164

283.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.86

$1.15 PKR 320

53.91%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.12

$1.23 PKR 340

121.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$6.30 PKR 1,745

45.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$2.53 PKR 701

252.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$5.19 PKR 1,439

142.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$1.12 PKR 309

169.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.51

$0.59 PKR 163

166.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.88

$0.74 PKR 205

187.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.22

$0.46 PKR 128

391.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.82

$0.31 PKR 86.8

545.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.85

$0.33 PKR 90.5

524.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.91

$0.33 PKR 90.4

257.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$0.38 PKR 104

215.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 PKR 492

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 283

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PKR 765

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.2

$1.91 PKR 530

142.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.33

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$0.18 PKR 48.91

216.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

$8.63 PKR 2,393

245.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$91.9

$1.18 PKR 328

361.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.5

$0.77 PKR 213

380.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$1.70 PKR 470

251.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$1.13 PKR 313

37.17%

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

$22.3K MX$376.8K

$19.3K PKR 5.4M

15.57%

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

$25.9K MX$438.0K

$22.2K PKR 6.1M

17.05%

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

$89.1 MX$1,504

$103 PKR 28.5K

-13.38%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$3.60 PKR 998

595.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$13.74 PKR 3,810

129.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

$14.51 PKR 4,023

367.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.2

$3.93 PKR 1,089

28.50%

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

$225 MX$3,797

$46.28 PKR 12.8K

386.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$951 PKR 263.8K

343.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$13.70 PKR 3,798

246.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$19.12 PKR 5,302

135.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$82.6 PKR 22.9K

-0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$28.62 PKR 7,935

221.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

$127 PKR 35.1K

745.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

$66.6 PKR 18.5K

508.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$253 PKR 70.1K

665.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$162 PKR 44.9K

702.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

$901 PKR 249.8K

343.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

$469 PKR 129.9K

1313.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Skardu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $127 in Skardu. 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $12.00 in Skardu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $93.0 – making Skardu 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 Skardu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 196%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $656 in Skardu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Skardu, 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $437 in Skardu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 246% less in Skardu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Skardu, where all-in costs run around $437, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Skardu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Skardu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Skardu. 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.