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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $532 in Badulla versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $854 in Badulla versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,177 in Badulla versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Badulla costs roughly 58% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Badulla 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 LKR 1,330

$11.87 MX$204

-66.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.26 LKR 8,427

$42.90 MX$736

-41.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 LKR 2,810

$10.65 MX$183

-20.94%

Cappuccino

$2.73 LKR 909

$3.45 MX$59.2

-20.87%

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

$0.73 LKR 245

$1.50 MX$25.81

-51.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.95 MX$16.28

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 LKR 777

$3.03 MX$51.9

-23.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 LKR 1,149

$4.61 MX$79.1

-25.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 LKR 562

$1.38 MX$23.61

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 LKR 172

$1.85 MX$31.70

-72.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 243

$1.61 MX$27.65

-54.66%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 710

$2.59 MX$44.51

-17.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.30 LKR 4,769

$8.26 MX$142

73.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 LKR 1,337

$8.37 MX$144

-52.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 LKR 2,627

$10.66 MX$183

-26.08%

Apples (1kg)

$7.31 LKR 2,437

$2.63 MX$45.12

177.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 373

$1.49 MX$25.53

-24.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.88 LKR 1,960

$1.92 MX$32.94

206.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 415

$2.09 MX$35.81

-40.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 370

$1.86 MX$31.88

-40.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 LKR 472

$2.26 MX$38.81

-37.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 386

$1.06 MX$18.23

9.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 187

$1.09 MX$18.67

-48.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.18 LKR 3,397

$4.15 MX$71.2

145.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 LKR 4,288

$10.39 MX$178

23.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 664

$1.72 MX$29.59

15.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 LKR 942

$2.61 MX$44.85

8.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$3.13 MX$53.7

-87.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 118

$2.51 MX$43.09

-86.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 202

$3.15 MX$54.1

-80.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 421

$1.27 MX$21.88

-0.79%

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

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-13.51%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.7M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

49.28%

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

$60.2 LKR 20.1K

$83.0 MX$1,425

-27.43%

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

$4.23 LKR 1,411

$22.71 MX$390

-81.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.91 LKR 4,974

$29.46 MX$506

-49.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,136

$4.93 MX$84.5

-31.03%

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

$36.14 LKR 12.1K

$197 MX$3,386

-81.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 144.3K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-91.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.33 LKR 9,116

$36.90 MX$633

-25.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.72 LKR 6,579

$39.89 MX$685

-50.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.1 LKR 23.1K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-13.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.71 LKR 12.9K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-56.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,516 LKR 1.5M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

15.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$734 LKR 244.9K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-88.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$218 LKR 72.8K

$667 MX$11.4K

-67.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.08%

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

Last update for Badulla: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 206% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $25.00 in Badulla vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 vs $250, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Badulla is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 139% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 206% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $36.14 in Badulla versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Badulla – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $532 in Badulla versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Badulla but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Badulla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Badulla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Badulla and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Badulla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.