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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $489 per month in Anuradhapura vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $823 per month in Anuradhapura vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,157 per month in Anuradhapura vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Anuradhapura is about 62% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Anuradhapura and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Anuradhapura 63% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.91 LKR 1,296

$11.73 MX$203

-66.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.39 LKR 8,419

$41.62 MX$720

-39.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.41 LKR 2,788

$10.64 MX$184

-20.96%

Cappuccino

$2.63 LKR 871

$3.52 MX$60.9

-25.28%

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

$0.69 LKR 229

$1.51 MX$26.12

-54.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 125

$0.97 MX$16.84

-60.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 791

$2.95 MX$51.0

-19.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 LKR 1,125

$4.45 MX$77.0

-23.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 LKR 572

$1.38 MX$23.93

24.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 186

$1.89 MX$32.72

-70.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 283

$1.64 MX$28.32

-48.17%

Eggs

$2.22 LKR 736

$2.51 MX$43.34

-11.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.83 LKR 4,587

$8.34 MX$144

65.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 LKR 1,555

$8.34 MX$144

-43.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 LKR 2,659

$10.73 MX$186

-25.26%

Apples (1kg)

$7.26 LKR 2,406

$2.60 MX$45.04

179.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 368

$1.46 MX$25.20

-23.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.91 LKR 1,958

$1.90 MX$32.87

211.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 411

$2.08 MX$35.91

-40.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 364

$1.78 MX$30.71

-38.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 471

$2.19 MX$37.80

-35.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 382

$1.04 MX$17.99

10.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 200

$1.08 MX$18.62

-44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.18 LKR 3,377

$4.08 MX$70.6

149.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.77 LKR 4,236

$10.32 MX$178

23.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 685

$1.71 MX$29.61

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 953

$2.58 MX$44.54

11.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 128

$3.26 MX$56.4

-88.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 117

$2.49 MX$43.09

-85.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 186

$3.25 MX$56.2

-82.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 396

$1.31 MX$22.61

-8.40%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-10.60%

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

$35.3K LKR 11.7M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

50.47%

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

$26.43 LKR 8,764

$82.9 MX$1,433

-68.11%

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

$3.25 LKR 1,079

$22.22 MX$384

-85.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.92 LKR 4,948

$29.34 MX$507

-49.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 LKR 1,090

$5.07 MX$87.6

-35.11%

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

$36.52 LKR 12.1K

$201 MX$3,473

-81.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$439 LKR 145.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-91.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.02 LKR 9,292

$36.92 MX$639

-24.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.62 LKR 6,504

$39.79 MX$688

-50.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 LKR 23.1K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-11.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.00 LKR 12.9K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-55.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

11.42

44.05%

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

Last update for Anuradhapura: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Anuradhapura versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Anuradhapura vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Anuradhapura vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $489 in Anuradhapura, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 165% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $734 per month in Anuradhapura and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Anuradhapura and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Anuradhapura, where all-in costs run around $489, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Anuradhapura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $489 in Anuradhapura to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Anuradhapura. 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.