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

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

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

Skardu is about 71% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.75 PKR 488

$11.73 MX$205

-85.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.62 PKR 2,956

$41.62 MX$728

-74.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.11 PKR 1,144

$10.64 MX$186

-61.37%

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

$0.46 PKR 128

$3.52 MX$61.6

-86.93%

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

$0.35 PKR 96.2

$1.51 MX$26.42

-76.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.1

$0.97 MX$17.03

-76.29%

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)

$0.73 PKR 202

$1.38 MX$24.20

-47.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 PKR 167

$1.89 MX$33.10

-68.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 338

$1.64 MX$28.65

-26.22%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 312

$2.51 MX$43.84

-55.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.15 PKR 1,710

$8.34 MX$146

-26.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.55 PKR 710

$8.34 MX$146

-69.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.63 PKR 1,011

$10.73 MX$188

-66.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$2.60 MX$45.56

-60.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 183

$1.46 MX$25.50

-54.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 PKR 170

$1.90 MX$33.26

-67.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$2.08 MX$36.33

-76.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 104

$1.78 MX$31.07

-79.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 PKR 131

$2.19 MX$38.23

-78.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 86.2

$1.04 MX$18.20

-70.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 100

$1.08 MX$18.84

-66.67%

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)

$1.90 PKR 528

$4.08 MX$71.4

-53.43%

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)

$0.19 PKR 54.3

$0.51 MX$8.92

-62.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.91 PKR 1,923

$26.46 MX$463

-73.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 PKR 250

$3.26 MX$57.1

-72.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 PKR 114

$2.49 MX$43.59

-83.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 486

$3.25 MX$56.8

-46.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 PKR 273

$1.31 MX$22.87

-25.19%

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

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

$30.3K MX$529.8K

-29.87%

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

$22.8K PKR 6.4M

$23.4K MX$410.0K

-2.56%

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

$102 PKR 28.4K

$82.9 MX$1,450

23.19%

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

$7.18 PKR 1,999

$22.22 MX$389

-67.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.13 PKR 3,096

$29.34 MX$513

-62.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.57 PKR 3,498

$51.6 MX$903

-75.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.83 PKR 1,624

$18.32 MX$321

-68.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.61 PKR 1,006

$5.07 MX$88.6

-28.80%

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

$29.43 PKR 8,188

$201 MX$3,514

-85.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,094 PKR 304.5K

$5,212 MX$91.2K

-79.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.31 PKR 4,259

$36.92 MX$646

-58.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.03 PKR 6,131

$39.79 MX$696

-44.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 PKR 19.2K

$78.5 MX$1,373

-11.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.47 PKR 8,200

$87.1 MX$1,524

-66.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$74.0 PKR 20.6K

$973 MX$17.0K

-92.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.2 PKR 14.5K

$468 MX$8,184

-88.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 PKR 46.5K

$1,641 MX$28.7K

-89.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.0K

$1,221 MX$21.4K

-91.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$917 PKR 255.1K

$3,946 MX$69.0K

-76.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$567 PKR 157.9K

$6,498 MX$113.7K

-91.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $74.0 in Skardu versus $973 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: $86.0 vs $249 – 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 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 $573 per month in Skardu and $1,945 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 $382 in Skardu and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. 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.