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 $527 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $866 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,205 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia is about 59% 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 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.96 LKR 1,320

$11.73 MX$203

-66.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.56 LKR 8,524

$41.62 MX$721

-38.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 LKR 2,746

$10.64 MX$184

-22.65%

Cappuccino

$2.67 LKR 891

$3.52 MX$61.0

-24.15%

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

$0.68 LKR 228

$1.51 MX$26.17

-54.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 LKR 115

$0.97 MX$16.87

-63.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 LKR 771

$2.95 MX$51.1

-21.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 LKR 1,142

$4.45 MX$77.2

-23.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 577

$1.38 MX$23.97

25.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 186

$1.89 MX$32.78

-70.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 273

$1.64 MX$28.37

-50.00%

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 704

$2.51 MX$43.42

-15.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.99 LKR 4,665

$8.34 MX$145

67.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,594

$8.34 MX$145

-42.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 LKR 2,740

$10.73 MX$186

-23.39%

Apples (1kg)

$7.68 LKR 2,562

$2.60 MX$45.12

195.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 353

$1.46 MX$25.25

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.65 LKR 1,883

$1.90 MX$32.94

197.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 418

$2.08 MX$35.98

-39.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 368

$1.78 MX$30.77

-38.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 454

$2.19 MX$37.87

-37.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 396

$1.04 MX$18.02

14.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 188

$1.08 MX$18.66

-48.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 LKR 3,327

$4.08 MX$70.7

144.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.95 LKR 4,319

$10.32 MX$179

25.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 690

$1.71 MX$29.67

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 963

$2.58 MX$44.63

12.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 137

$3.26 MX$56.5

-87.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$2.49 MX$43.17

-86.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 201

$3.25 MX$56.3

-81.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 416

$1.31 MX$22.65

-4.58%

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

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-11.11%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.8M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

51.29%

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

$60.7 LKR 20.2K

$82.9 MX$1,436

-26.74%

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

$4.24 LKR 1,413

$22.22 MX$385

-80.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.98 LKR 4,997

$29.34 MX$508

-48.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$3.28 LKR 1,094

$5.07 MX$87.8

-35.31%

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

$36.26 LKR 12.1K

$201 MX$3,480

-81.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$433 LKR 144.4K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-91.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.93 LKR 9,315

$36.92 MX$640

-24.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.54 LKR 6,517

$39.79 MX$689

-50.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 LKR 23.0K

$78.5 MX$1,360

-12.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.15 LKR 12.7K

$87.1 MX$1,509

-56.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$212 LKR 70.8K

$664 MX$11.5K

-68.05%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 213% 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 $26.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $258 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 146% 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 $791 per month in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia and $1,945 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 $26.00 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 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, where all-in costs run around $527, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $527 versus $1,297 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.