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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $459 in Gampaha versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $774 in Gampaha versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,088 in Gampaha versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Gampaha costs roughly 64% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gampaha 67% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.89 LKR 619

$11.71 MX$198

-83.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.03 LKR 5,916

$46.59 MX$787

-61.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 LKR 1,723

$11.65 MX$197

-54.94%

Cappuccino

$1.25 LKR 411

$4.09 MX$69.2

-69.44%

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

$0.59 LKR 192

$1.37 MX$23.23

-56.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 LKR 89.1

$0.83 MX$14.09

-67.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 LKR 689

$3.35 MX$56.7

-37.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 LKR 1,018

$6.91 MX$117

-55.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 LKR 515

$1.73 MX$29.19

-9.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 LKR 147

$2.26 MX$38.20

-80.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 LKR 244

$1.77 MX$29.90

-58.19%

Eggs

$1.58 LKR 519

$2.73 MX$46.18

-42.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.04 LKR 4,279

$9.18 MX$155

42.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 LKR 1,329

$8.92 MX$151

-54.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.34 LKR 2,407

$12.60 MX$213

-41.75%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 LKR 2,032

$3.02 MX$51.1

104.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 LKR 296

$1.57 MX$26.54

-42.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 LKR 1,427

$2.13 MX$35.92

104.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 408

$2.26 MX$38.27

-45.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 LKR 336

$2.00 MX$33.87

-49.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 246

$2.06 MX$34.89

-63.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 LKR 94.1

$1.18 MX$19.94

-75.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 LKR 106

$1.20 MX$20.35

-73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.67 LKR 3,173

$4.63 MX$78.3

108.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.32 LKR 4,369

$10.69 MX$181

24.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 LKR 446

$1.62 MX$27.37

-16.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 LKR 807

$2.88 MX$48.69

-14.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 LKR 102

$0.57 MX$9.69

-45.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.31 LKR 102

$5.45 MX$92.1

-94.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 118

$3.70 MX$62.6

-90.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 LKR 288

$5.98 MX$101

-85.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 LKR 371

$1.55 MX$26.25

-27.10%

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

$30.5K LKR 10.0M

$22.3K MX$377.3K

36.77%

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

$43.0K LKR 14.1M

$25.9K MX$438.5K

65.66%

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

$27.91 LKR 9,158

$89.1 MX$1,506

-68.69%

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

$3.10 LKR 1,016

$25.04 MX$423

-87.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.96 LKR 3,596

$31.50 MX$532

-65.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$7.43 LKR 2,438

$67.8 MX$1,145

-89.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$4.44 LKR 1,455

$5.05 MX$85.3

-12.08%

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

$15.53 LKR 5,094

$225 MX$3,802

-93.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$120 LKR 39.4K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

-97.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.29 LKR 6,657

$47.44 MX$802

-57.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.37 LKR 3,074

$44.98 MX$760

-79.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.5 LKR 19.8K

$82.0 MX$1,386

-26.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.25 LKR 7,955

$92.1 MX$1,556

-73.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$90.2 LKR 29.6K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-91.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$55.6 LKR 18.2K

$405 MX$6,850

-86.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$307 LKR 100.7K

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-84.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 LKR 54.6K

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-87.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$230 LKR 75.4K

$749 MX$12.7K

-69.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-12.66%

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

Last update for Gampaha: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $90.2 in Gampaha and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 226% 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: $18.00 in Gampaha vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $277 per month, with Gampaha cheaper across the board.

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

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

Gampaha and Playa del Carmen differ by about 182% in total monthly costs ($459 vs $1,293 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 226% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $90.2 in Gampaha versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $15.53 in Gampaha versus $225 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 Gampaha – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $459 in Gampaha versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gampaha but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Gampaha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Gampaha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 182% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.