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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $528 per month in Battaramulla vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $871 per month in Battaramulla vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,213 per month in Battaramulla vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Battaramulla is about 58% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Battaramulla and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Battaramulla 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,310

$11.87 MX$204

-66.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.04 LKR 8,354

$42.90 MX$738

-41.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 LKR 2,733

$10.65 MX$183

-23.10%

Cappuccino

$2.64 LKR 881

$3.45 MX$59.3

-23.48%

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

$0.68 LKR 226

$1.50 MX$25.87

-54.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 134

$0.95 MX$16.32

-57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 LKR 799

$3.03 MX$52.1

-21.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 LKR 1,124

$4.61 MX$79.3

-26.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 595

$1.38 MX$23.67

28.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$1.85 MX$31.78

-71.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 269

$1.61 MX$27.71

-49.69%

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 705

$2.59 MX$44.62

-18.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 LKR 4,753

$8.26 MX$142

72.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 LKR 1,591

$8.37 MX$144

-43.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 LKR 2,617

$10.66 MX$183

-26.45%

Apples (1kg)

$7.55 LKR 2,519

$2.63 MX$45.23

187.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 353

$1.49 MX$25.59

-28.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.74 LKR 1,913

$1.92 MX$33.02

198.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 400

$2.09 MX$35.89

-42.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 388

$1.86 MX$31.95

-37.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 459

$2.26 MX$38.90

-38.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 397

$1.06 MX$18.28

12.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 185

$1.09 MX$18.71

-49.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.24 LKR 3,415

$4.15 MX$71.4

146.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 LKR 4,285

$10.39 MX$179

23.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 664

$1.72 MX$29.66

15.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 LKR 975

$2.61 MX$44.96

11.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$464

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$3.13 MX$53.8

-87.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$2.51 MX$43.19

-86.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 204

$3.15 MX$54.2

-80.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 417

$1.27 MX$21.94

-1.57%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

$30.4K MX$522.6K

-10.35%

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

$34.7K LKR 11.6M

$23.6K MX$405.4K

47.05%

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

$60.7 LKR 20.2K

$83.0 MX$1,428

-26.89%

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

$4.39 LKR 1,463

$22.71 MX$391

-80.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.86 LKR 4,957

$29.46 MX$507

-49.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$877

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,092

$4.93 MX$84.7

-33.47%

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

$37.10 LKR 12.4K

$197 MX$3,395

-81.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$437 LKR 145.9K

$5,280 MX$90.8K

-91.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.40 LKR 9,140

$36.90 MX$635

-25.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.01 LKR 6,342

$39.89 MX$686

-52.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 LKR 23.1K

$80.0 MX$1,377

-13.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.06 LKR 13.0K

$89.5 MX$1,539

-56.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,208

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$111.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 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 Battaramulla: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Battaramulla versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Battaramulla vs $250 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 141% more than Battaramulla, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $792 per month in Battaramulla and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $528 in Battaramulla and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $37.10 per month in Battaramulla and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Battaramulla, where all-in costs run around $528, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Battaramulla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Battaramulla costs $528 versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Battaramulla. 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.