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 $496 per month in Anuradhapura vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $831 per month in Anuradhapura vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,167 per month in Anuradhapura vs $3,017 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 63% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.03 LKR 1,355

$11.99 MX$209

-66.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.97 LKR 8,391

$41.78 MX$728

-40.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.21 LKR 2,761

$10.75 MX$187

-23.63%

Cappuccino

$2.73 LKR 919

$3.50 MX$60.9

-22.00%

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

$0.72 LKR 244

$1.45 MX$25.22

-50.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 135

$0.88 MX$15.41

-54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 765

$2.95 MX$51.3

-22.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 LKR 1,134

$4.51 MX$78.6

-25.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LKR 573

$1.43 MX$24.94

19.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$1.84 MX$31.99

-70.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 270

$1.57 MX$27.31

-49.04%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 750

$2.51 MX$43.74

-11.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.26 LKR 4,792

$8.28 MX$144

72.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 LKR 1,587

$8.43 MX$147

-44.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 LKR 2,782

$10.68 MX$186

-22.47%

Apples (1kg)

$7.61 LKR 2,556

$2.61 MX$45.43

191.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 LKR 363

$1.44 MX$25.04

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.69 LKR 1,912

$1.96 MX$34.16

190.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 402

$2.09 MX$36.47

-42.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 374

$1.85 MX$32.24

-40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 LKR 472

$2.17 MX$37.74

-35.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 389

$1.03 MX$17.96

12.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 188

$1.07 MX$18.70

-47.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.92 LKR 3,333

$4.10 MX$71.4

141.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.49 LKR 4,197

$10.17 MX$177

22.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 LKR 703

$1.68 MX$29.17

24.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 963

$2.53 MX$43.98

13.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$3.23 MX$56.3

-87.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 120

$2.41 MX$41.88

-85.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 206

$3.23 MX$56.2

-81.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 407

$1.32 MX$23.00

-8.33%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-8.65%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.8M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

48.03%

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

$27.06 LKR 9,094

$82.0 MX$1,428

-67.00%

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

$3.41 LKR 1,147

$22.95 MX$400

-85.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.08 LKR 5,068

$30.11 MX$524

-49.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$3.41 LKR 1,146

$4.98 MX$86.6

-31.53%

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

$37.37 LKR 12.6K

$197 MX$3,438

-81.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$447 LKR 150.3K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

-91.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.71 LKR 9,312

$35.60 MX$620

-22.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.27 LKR 6,476

$40.33 MX$702

-52.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 LKR 23.7K

$78.8 MX$1,371

-10.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.87 LKR 13.1K

$88.9 MX$1,549

-56.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 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 – $258 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: $496 in Anuradhapura, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 153% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $744 per month in Anuradhapura and $1,884 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 4% 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 $496, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $496 in Anuradhapura to $1,256 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.