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 $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $377 in Skardu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $576 in Skardu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $775 in Skardu, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 234% more than Skardu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Skardu are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Skardu 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$208

$1.79 PKR 497

567.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$730

$10.50 PKR 2,916

299.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$181

$4.14 PKR 1,149

151.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 479

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 PKR 998

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.2

$0.42 PKR 117

735.71%

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

$1.52 MX$26.39

$0.34 PKR 94.9

347.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.84

$0.23 PKR 63.9

295.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$52.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.73

$0.77 PKR 215

84.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$31.87

$0.56 PKR 155

226.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.45

$1.21 PKR 336

34.71%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.20

$1.17 PKR 324

117.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$149

$6.00 PKR 1,665

42.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$2.60 PKR 721

226.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$188

$3.71 PKR 1,031

191.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$47.94

$1.05 PKR 290

161.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.00

$0.66 PKR 183

118.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.83

$0.67 PKR 186

182.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.77

$0.49 PKR 135

342.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.97

$0.35 PKR 95.9

408.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.71

$0.50 PKR 140

344.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.60

$0.31 PKR 85.6

245.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.79

$0.36 PKR 100

200.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.55 PKR 429

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 259

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 560

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.2

$1.98 PKR 550

109.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.34

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.92

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.94

$0.20 PKR 56.5

155.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$451

$7.10 PKR 1,972

265.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$55.9

$0.84 PKR 233

282.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.55

$0.40 PKR 111

525.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.4

$1.78 PKR 495

79.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.87

$0.96 PKR 265

31.25%

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

$29.7K MX$516.6K

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

38.31%

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

$23.7K MX$412.1K

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

4.43%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$102 PKR 28.3K

-19.58%

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

$22.73 MX$395

$7.09 PKR 1,969

220.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$512

$11.40 PKR 3,165

158.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$908

$12.46 PKR 3,458

318.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$321

$6.02 PKR 1,670

206.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.9

$3.62 PKR 1,006

36.19%

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

$202 MX$3,511

$29.27 PKR 8,128

589.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$90.8K

$1,105 PKR 306.7K

372.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$625

$15.31 PKR 4,250

134.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$21.94 PKR 6,091

83.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$68.7 PKR 19.1K

16.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,554

$28.93 PKR 8,033

208.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.5K

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

1182.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,097

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

782.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.4K

$168 PKR 46.7K

869.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$108 PKR 29.9K

1008.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.4K

$974 PKR 270.5K

303.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$111.9K

$484 PKR 134.2K

1229.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-39.89%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Skardu: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $73.9 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $11.00 in Skardu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $87.0 – 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 234%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $566 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 $1,259 in Playa del Carmen and $377 in Skardu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 265% 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 $377, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. 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.