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

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

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

Skardu is about 66% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.38 PKR 660

$11.71 MX$198

-79.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.05 PKR 3,341

$46.59 MX$786

-74.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.76 PKR 1,319

$11.65 MX$197

-59.14%

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

$1.44 PKR 399

$4.09 MX$69.1

-64.79%

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

$0.39 PKR 107

$1.37 MX$23.20

-71.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.6

$0.83 MX$14.07

-72.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 PKR 242

$1.73 MX$29.15

-49.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 PKR 164

$2.26 MX$38.15

-73.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 PKR 320

$1.77 MX$29.86

-35.03%

Eggs

$1.23 PKR 340

$2.73 MX$46.12

-54.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.30 PKR 1,745

$9.18 MX$155

-31.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.53 PKR 701

$8.92 MX$151

-71.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.19 PKR 1,439

$12.60 MX$213

-58.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 PKR 309

$3.02 MX$51.0

-62.91%

Banana (1kg)

$0.59 PKR 163

$1.57 MX$26.51

-62.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 205

$2.13 MX$35.88

-65.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 PKR 128

$2.26 MX$38.22

-79.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 86.8

$2.00 MX$33.82

-84.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 90.5

$2.06 MX$34.85

-83.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 90.4

$1.18 MX$19.91

-72.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 PKR 104

$1.20 MX$20.32

-68.33%

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)

$1.91 PKR 530

$4.63 MX$78.2

-58.75%

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)

$0.18 PKR 48.91

$0.57 MX$9.68

-68.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.63 PKR 2,393

$29.83 MX$503

-71.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 PKR 328

$5.45 MX$91.9

-78.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 PKR 213

$3.70 MX$62.5

-79.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 PKR 470

$5.98 MX$101

-71.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 313

$1.55 MX$26.22

-27.10%

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

$19.3K PKR 5.4M

$22.3K MX$376.8K

-13.47%

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

$22.2K PKR 6.1M

$25.9K MX$438.0K

-14.56%

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

$103 PKR 28.5K

$89.1 MX$1,504

15.45%

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

$3.60 PKR 998

$25.04 MX$423

-85.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.74 PKR 3,810

$31.50 MX$532

-56.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.51 PKR 4,023

$67.8 MX$1,144

-78.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 PKR 1,089

$5.05 MX$85.2

-22.18%

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

$46.28 PKR 12.8K

$225 MX$3,797

-79.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$951 PKR 263.8K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

-77.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.70 PKR 3,798

$47.44 MX$801

-71.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.12 PKR 5,302

$44.98 MX$759

-57.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 PKR 22.9K

$82.0 MX$1,384

0.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.62 PKR 7,935

$92.1 MX$1,555

-68.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 PKR 35.1K

$1,069 MX$18.0K

-88.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.6 PKR 18.5K

$405 MX$6,842

-83.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 PKR 70.1K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-86.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 PKR 44.9K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-87.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$901 PKR 249.8K

$3,995 MX$67.4K

-77.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$469 PKR 129.9K

$6,626 MX$111.8K

-92.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

11.45

12.49%

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

Last update for Skardu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $127 in Skardu versus $1,069 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 $12.00 in Skardu versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $93.0 vs $277 – 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 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 $656 per month in Skardu and $1,940 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 $437 in Skardu and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. 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.