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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $382 in Skardu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $573 in Skardu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $765 in Skardu, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 239% more than Skardu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Skardu are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Skardu 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$1.75 PKR 488

570.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$728

$10.62 PKR 2,956

291.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$4.11 PKR 1,144

158.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 500

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 PKR 1,001

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.6

$0.46 PKR 128

665.22%

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

$1.51 MX$26.42

$0.35 PKR 96.2

331.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.03

$0.23 PKR 64.1

321.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.20

$0.73 PKR 202

89.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.10

$0.60 PKR 167

215.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.65

$1.21 PKR 338

35.54%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.84

$1.12 PKR 312

124.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$6.15 PKR 1,710

35.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$2.55 PKR 710

227.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$188

$3.63 PKR 1,011

195.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.56

$1.04 PKR 289

150.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.50

$0.66 PKR 183

121.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.26

$0.61 PKR 170

211.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.49 PKR 136

324.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.07

$0.37 PKR 104

381.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.23

$0.47 PKR 131

365.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.20

$0.31 PKR 86.2

235.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.36 PKR 100

200.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 PKR 378

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 241

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 568

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.4

$1.90 PKR 528

114.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.92

$0.19 PKR 54.3

168.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$463

$6.91 PKR 1,923

282.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.1

$0.90 PKR 250

262.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.59

$0.41 PKR 114

507.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.8

$1.75 PKR 486

85.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$0.98 PKR 273

33.67%

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

$30.3K MX$529.8K

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

42.60%

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

$23.4K MX$410.0K

$22.8K PKR 6.4M

2.63%

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

$82.9 MX$1,450

$102 PKR 28.4K

-18.83%

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

$22.22 MX$389

$7.18 PKR 1,999

209.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$513

$11.13 PKR 3,096

163.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$903

$12.57 PKR 3,498

310.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$321

$5.83 PKR 1,624

214.24%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.6

$3.61 PKR 1,006

40.44%

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

$201 MX$3,514

$29.43 PKR 8,188

582.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.2K

$1,094 PKR 304.5K

376.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$646

$15.31 PKR 4,259

141.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$696

$22.03 PKR 6,131

80.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,373

$69.1 PKR 19.2K

13.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,524

$29.47 PKR 8,200

195.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$74.0 PKR 20.6K

1213.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,184

$52.2 PKR 14.5K

796.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$167 PKR 46.5K

881.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.4K

$108 PKR 30.0K

1031.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$69.0K

$917 PKR 255.1K

330.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.7K

$567 PKR 157.9K

1045.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Skardu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $74.0 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: $249 vs $86.0 – 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 239%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $573 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $382 in Skardu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 283% 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 $382, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.