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 $536 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $861 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,186 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia is about 57% 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 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.96 LKR 1,331

$11.99 MX$209

-66.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.34 LKR 8,516

$41.78 MX$728

-39.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 LKR 2,832

$10.75 MX$187

-21.58%

Cappuccino

$2.75 LKR 925

$3.50 MX$60.9

-21.43%

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

$0.73 LKR 247

$1.45 MX$25.22

-49.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 LKR 116

$0.88 MX$15.41

-61.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 763

$2.95 MX$51.3

-23.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 LKR 1,103

$4.51 MX$78.6

-27.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 LKR 568

$1.43 MX$24.94

18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 189

$1.84 MX$31.99

-69.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 269

$1.57 MX$27.31

-49.04%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 751

$2.51 MX$43.74

-11.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.36 LKR 4,825

$8.28 MX$144

73.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 LKR 1,539

$8.43 MX$147

-45.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 LKR 2,668

$10.68 MX$186

-25.66%

Apples (1kg)

$7.31 LKR 2,458

$2.61 MX$45.43

180.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 358

$1.44 MX$25.04

-25.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.92 LKR 1,988

$1.96 MX$34.16

202.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 LKR 408

$2.09 MX$36.47

-41.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 389

$1.85 MX$32.24

-37.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 LKR 453

$2.17 MX$37.74

-37.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 403

$1.03 MX$17.96

16.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 204

$1.07 MX$18.70

-42.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.03 LKR 3,372

$4.10 MX$71.4

144.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.57 LKR 4,223

$10.17 MX$177

23.60%

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 966

$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)

$0.42 LKR 140

$3.23 MX$56.3

-87.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 119

$2.41 MX$41.88

-85.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 204

$3.23 MX$56.2

-81.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 402

$1.32 MX$23.00

-9.09%

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

$26.7K LKR 9.0M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-10.14%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

48.60%

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

$60.4 LKR 20.3K

$82.0 MX$1,428

-26.35%

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

$4.25 LKR 1,429

$22.95 MX$400

-81.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.26 LKR 5,129

$30.11 MX$524

-49.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$3.31 LKR 1,113

$4.98 MX$86.6

-33.53%

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

$36.35 LKR 12.2K

$197 MX$3,438

-81.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$449 LKR 151.0K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

-91.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.77 LKR 9,332

$35.60 MX$620

-21.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.33 LKR 6,495

$40.33 MX$702

-52.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 LKR 23.3K

$78.8 MX$1,371

-11.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.17 LKR 13.2K

$88.9 MX$1,549

-55.95%

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)

$204 LKR 68.6K

$654 MX$11.4K

-68.76%

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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 220% 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 $25.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 134% 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 $804 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 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 3% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, where all-in costs run around $536, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $536 versus $1,256 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.