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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Skardu is about 70% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 PKR 497

$11.95 MX$208

-85.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.50 PKR 2,916

$41.94 MX$730

-74.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 PKR 1,149

$10.42 MX$181

-60.27%

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

$0.42 PKR 117

$3.51 MX$61.2

-88.03%

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

$0.34 PKR 94.9

$1.52 MX$26.39

-77.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.9

$0.91 MX$15.85

-74.73%

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)

$0.77 PKR 215

$1.42 MX$24.73

-45.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 155

$1.83 MX$31.87

-69.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.63 MX$28.45

-25.77%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 324

$2.54 MX$44.20

-53.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.00 PKR 1,665

$8.57 MX$149

-29.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 PKR 721

$8.49 MX$148

-69.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.71 PKR 1,031

$10.80 MX$188

-65.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 290

$2.75 MX$47.95

-61.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 183

$1.44 MX$25.00

-54.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$1.89 MX$32.84

-64.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$2.17 MX$37.77

-77.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 95.9

$1.78 MX$30.97

-80.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$2.22 MX$38.71

-77.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.6

$1.07 MX$18.60

-71.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 100

$1.08 MX$18.79

-66.67%

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)

$1.98 PKR 550

$4.15 MX$72.2

-52.29%

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$44.93

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.5

$0.51 MX$8.94

-60.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.10 PKR 1,972

$25.94 MX$452

-72.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 233

$3.21 MX$55.9

-73.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 PKR 111

$2.50 MX$43.55

-84.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 495

$3.19 MX$55.4

-44.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 265

$1.26 MX$21.87

-23.81%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$29.7K MX$516.7K

-27.70%

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

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

$23.7K MX$412.2K

-4.24%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$82.0 MX$1,428

24.34%

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

$7.09 PKR 1,969

$22.73 MX$396

-68.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.40 PKR 3,165

$29.42 MX$512

-61.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.46 PKR 3,458

$52.2 MX$908

-76.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 PKR 1,670

$18.45 MX$321

-67.37%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 PKR 1,006

$4.93 MX$85.9

-26.57%

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

$29.27 PKR 8,128

$202 MX$3,512

-85.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,105 PKR 306.7K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

-78.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.31 PKR 4,250

$35.93 MX$625

-57.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.94 PKR 6,091

$40.33 MX$702

-45.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 PKR 19.1K

$79.9 MX$1,390

-14.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.93 PKR 8,033

$89.3 MX$1,554

-67.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

$948 MX$16.5K

-92.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

$465 MX$8,098

-88.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 PKR 46.7K

$1,630 MX$28.4K

-89.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.9K

$1,193 MX$20.8K

-90.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$974 PKR 270.5K

$3,933 MX$68.5K

-75.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$484 PKR 134.2K

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-92.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

66.37%

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

Last update for Skardu: July 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $73.9 in Skardu versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $11.00 in Skardu versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $87.0 vs $252 – 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

Skardu vs Playa del Carmen: 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 $566 per month in Skardu and $1,888 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $377 in Skardu and $1,259 in Playa del Carmen. 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.