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: $497 in Gampaha versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $872 in Gampaha versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,247 in Gampaha versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Gampaha costs roughly 60% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gampaha 63% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 LKR 577

$11.99 MX$209

-85.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.50 LKR 8,569

$41.78 MX$728

-38.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 LKR 1,697

$10.75 MX$187

-53.02%

Cappuccino

$2.13 LKR 715

$3.50 MX$60.9

-39.14%

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

$0.69 LKR 231

$1.45 MX$25.22

-52.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 127

$0.88 MX$15.41

-56.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 LKR 743

$2.95 MX$51.3

-25.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 LKR 552

$4.51 MX$78.6

-63.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LKR 597

$1.43 MX$24.94

24.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 176

$1.84 MX$31.99

-71.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 244

$1.57 MX$27.31

-53.50%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 741

$2.51 MX$43.74

-11.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.34 LKR 4,819

$8.28 MX$144

73.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 LKR 1,470

$8.43 MX$147

-48.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.94 LKR 2,667

$10.68 MX$186

-25.66%

Apples (1kg)

$6.63 LKR 2,226

$2.61 MX$45.43

154.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$1.44 MX$25.04

-25.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.74 LKR 1,929

$1.96 MX$34.16

192.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 421

$2.09 MX$36.47

-40.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 358

$1.85 MX$32.24

-42.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 464

$2.17 MX$37.74

-36.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 LKR 105

$1.03 MX$17.96

-69.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 LKR 120

$1.07 MX$18.70

-66.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.14 LKR 3,407

$4.10 MX$71.4

147.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.48 LKR 4,193

$10.17 MX$177

22.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 LKR 517

$1.68 MX$29.17

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 LKR 889

$2.53 MX$43.98

4.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 LKR 115

$0.51 MX$8.87

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 106

$3.23 MX$56.3

-90.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 118

$2.41 MX$41.88

-85.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 195

$3.23 MX$56.2

-82.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 425

$1.32 MX$23.00

-4.55%

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

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-9.45%

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

$34.7K LKR 11.7M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

46.61%

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

$30.47 LKR 10.2K

$82.0 MX$1,428

-62.85%

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

$3.31 LKR 1,111

$22.95 MX$400

-85.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.24 LKR 4,112

$30.11 MX$524

-59.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$8.51 LKR 2,861

$52.0 MX$905

-83.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$3.40 LKR 1,144

$4.98 MX$86.6

-31.73%

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

$16.81 LKR 5,649

$197 MX$3,438

-91.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$137 LKR 45.9K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

-97.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.31 LKR 9,176

$35.60 MX$620

-23.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.88 LKR 3,322

$40.33 MX$702

-75.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.0 LKR 22.5K

$78.8 MX$1,371

-14.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.60 LKR 8,939

$88.9 MX$1,549

-70.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$98.9 LKR 33.2K

$947 MX$16.5K

-89.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$62.9 LKR 21.2K

$474 MX$8,254

-86.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 LKR 112.1K

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-79.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 LKR 62.4K

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-84.66%

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)

$219 LKR 73.5K

$654 MX$11.4K

-66.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-12.43%

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

Last update for Gampaha: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $98.9 in Gampaha and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 199% 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: $26.00 in Gampaha vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $249 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 153% in total monthly costs ($497 vs $1,256 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 199% 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: $98.9 in Gampaha versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $16.81 in Gampaha versus $197 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 $26.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $497 in Gampaha versus $1,256 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 153% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.