Cost of Living Comparison Between Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $483 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $784 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,086 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia is about 63% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 65% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.53 LKR 503

$11.71 MX$198

-86.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.46 LKR 8,025

$46.59 MX$786

-47.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.76 LKR 2,547

$11.65 MX$197

-33.39%

Cappuccino

$2.40 LKR 788

$4.09 MX$69.1

-41.32%

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

$0.68 LKR 222

$1.37 MX$23.20

-50.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 82.0

$0.83 MX$14.07

-69.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 LKR 742

$3.35 MX$56.6

-32.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 LKR 1,024

$6.91 MX$117

-54.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 LKR 529

$1.73 MX$29.15

-6.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 LKR 187

$2.26 MX$38.15

-74.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 249

$1.77 MX$29.86

-57.06%

Eggs

$1.65 LKR 543

$2.73 MX$46.12

-39.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 LKR 4,380

$9.18 MX$155

45.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.08 LKR 1,668

$8.92 MX$151

-43.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,423

$12.60 MX$213

-41.35%

Apples (1kg)

$6.91 LKR 2,268

$3.02 MX$51.0

128.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 273

$1.57 MX$26.51

-47.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 LKR 1,453

$2.13 MX$35.88

107.98%

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)

$0.76 LKR 251

$2.06 MX$34.85

-63.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 LKR 313

$1.18 MX$19.91

-19.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 158

$1.20 MX$20.32

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.43 LKR 3,422

$4.63 MX$78.2

125.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 LKR 4,447

$10.69 MX$180

26.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 LKR 625

$1.62 MX$27.33

17.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 LKR 917

$2.88 MX$48.63

-2.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 135

$5.45 MX$91.9

-92.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 LKR 123

$3.70 MX$62.5

-90.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LKR 291

$5.98 MX$101

-85.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 LKR 434

$1.55 MX$26.22

-14.84%

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

$30.1K LKR 9.9M

$22.3K MX$376.8K

34.83%

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

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

$25.9K MX$438.0K

61.87%

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

$53.1 LKR 17.4K

$89.1 MX$1,504

-40.46%

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

$4.18 LKR 1,371

$25.04 MX$423

-83.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.62 LKR 6,765

$31.50 MX$532

-34.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$4.51 LKR 1,479

$5.05 MX$85.2

-10.69%

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

$38.47 LKR 12.6K

$225 MX$3,797

-82.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,218 LKR 399.6K

$4,222 MX$71.3K

-71.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.38 LKR 6,688

$47.44 MX$801

-57.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.64 LKR 5,458

$44.98 MX$759

-63.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 LKR 26.2K

$82.0 MX$1,384

-2.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.65 LKR 14.0K

$92.1 MX$1,555

-53.70%

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)

$456 LKR 149.5K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-76.45%

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)

$213 LKR 70.0K

$749 MX$12.6K

-71.51%

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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 251% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $277 – making Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 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

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 168% more than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, 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 $725 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, where all-in costs run around $483, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 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. Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs $483 versus $1,293 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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. 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.