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 $498 per month in Anuradhapura vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $830 per month in Anuradhapura vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,162 per month in Anuradhapura vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Anuradhapura is about 61% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Anuradhapura and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Anuradhapura 64% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 LKR 1,460

$11.71 MX$198

-62.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 LKR 7,973

$46.59 MX$786

-47.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 LKR 2,530

$11.65 MX$197

-33.82%

Cappuccino

$2.41 LKR 790

$4.09 MX$69.1

-41.08%

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

$0.75 LKR 244

$1.37 MX$23.20

-45.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.1

$0.83 MX$14.07

-69.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 748

$3.35 MX$56.6

-31.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 975

$6.91 MX$117

-57.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 LKR 551

$1.73 MX$29.15

-2.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 188

$2.26 MX$38.15

-74.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 263

$1.77 MX$29.86

-54.80%

Eggs

$1.63 LKR 535

$2.73 MX$46.12

-40.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.09 LKR 4,295

$9.18 MX$155

42.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 LKR 1,634

$8.92 MX$151

-44.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.29 LKR 2,391

$12.60 MX$213

-42.14%

Apples (1kg)

$6.93 LKR 2,272

$3.02 MX$51.0

129.47%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 287

$1.57 MX$26.51

-43.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.26 LKR 1,396

$2.13 MX$35.88

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 410

$2.26 MX$38.22

-44.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LKR 331

$2.00 MX$33.82

-49.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 263

$2.06 MX$34.85

-61.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 LKR 294

$1.18 MX$19.91

-23.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 LKR 147

$1.20 MX$20.32

-62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.54 LKR 3,458

$4.63 MX$78.2

127.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.82 LKR 4,534

$10.69 MX$180

29.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 LKR 629

$1.62 MX$27.33

18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 LKR 909

$2.88 MX$48.63

-3.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 137

$5.45 MX$91.9

-92.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 114

$3.70 MX$62.5

-90.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LKR 293

$5.98 MX$101

-85.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 LKR 439

$1.55 MX$26.22

-13.55%

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

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

$22.3K MX$376.8K

36.44%

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

$42.7K LKR 14.0M

$25.9K MX$438.0K

64.47%

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

$53.2 LKR 17.4K

$89.1 MX$1,504

-40.37%

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

$4.28 LKR 1,405

$25.04 MX$423

-82.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.72 LKR 6,796

$31.50 MX$532

-34.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 LKR 1,473

$5.05 MX$85.2

-11.09%

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

$38.75 LKR 12.7K

$225 MX$3,797

-82.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,201 LKR 394.1K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

-71.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.20 LKR 6,627

$47.44 MX$801

-57.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.92 LKR 5,553

$44.98 MX$759

-62.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 LKR 26.1K

$82.0 MX$1,384

-3.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.16 LKR 14.2K

$92.1 MX$1,555

-53.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

11.45

10.83%

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

Last update for Anuradhapura: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Anuradhapura versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $277 – making Anuradhapura 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $498 in Anuradhapura, $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 160% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $747 per month in Anuradhapura and $1,940 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 $24.00 in Anuradhapura and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Anuradhapura, where all-in costs run around $498, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $498 in Anuradhapura to $1,293 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.