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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $506 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $824 in Hikkaduwa versus $2,336 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,143 in Hikkaduwa versus $3,341 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Hikkaduwa costs roughly 62% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hikkaduwa 63% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 LKR 1,438

$13.02 MX$221

-66.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.28 LKR 8,341

$46.25 MX$784

-45.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 LKR 2,479

$12.59 MX$213

-40.35%

Cappuccino

$2.36 LKR 779

$4.00 MX$67.9

-41.00%

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

$0.67 LKR 222

$1.42 MX$24.08

-52.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.8

$0.81 MX$13.73

-69.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 LKR 744

$3.05 MX$51.7

-26.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 LKR 958

$6.82 MX$116

-57.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 LKR 527

$1.71 MX$29.04

-6.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 LKR 169

$2.22 MX$37.62

-77.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 LKR 246

$1.72 MX$29.13

-56.98%

Eggs

$1.53 LKR 506

$2.71 MX$45.99

-43.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 LKR 4,283

$9.37 MX$159

38.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.75 LKR 1,567

$8.86 MX$150

-46.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 LKR 2,373

$12.78 MX$217

-43.74%

Apples (1kg)

$6.65 LKR 2,192

$3.13 MX$53.0

112.46%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 LKR 277

$1.55 MX$26.24

-45.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.60 LKR 1,517

$2.15 MX$36.51

113.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 LKR 402

$2.35 MX$39.89

-48.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 LKR 309

$2.02 MX$34.23

-53.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 242

$1.99 MX$33.67

-63.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 LKR 302

$1.24 MX$21.09

-25.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 LKR 156

$1.19 MX$20.21

-60.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.00 LKR 3,298

$4.65 MX$78.8

115.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.17 LKR 4,344

$10.47 MX$177

25.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 LKR 614

$1.58 MX$26.82

17.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 LKR 875

$2.92 MX$49.48

-9.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 125

$5.32 MX$90.2

-92.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 115

$3.72 MX$63.0

-90.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 LKR 297

$5.78 MX$97.9

-84.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 415

$1.55 MX$26.27

-18.71%

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

$30.3K LKR 10.0M

$22.4K MX$379.1K

35.29%

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

$38.6K LKR 12.7M

$25.6K MX$433.3K

50.78%

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

$51.8 LKR 17.1K

$89.3 MX$1,513

-41.98%

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

$4.13 LKR 1,363

$23.30 MX$395

-82.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.46 LKR 6,750

$31.72 MX$538

-35.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 LKR 1,354

$5.06 MX$85.7

-18.77%

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

$37.49 LKR 12.4K

$222 MX$3,765

-83.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,209 LKR 398.7K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

-71.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.71 LKR 6,503

$46.21 MX$783

-57.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.12 LKR 5,319

$44.43 MX$753

-63.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 LKR 26.5K

$95.5 MX$1,618

-15.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.58 LKR 14.0K

$92.5 MX$1,568

-53.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

11.6

9.40%

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

Last update for Hikkaduwa: August 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Hikkaduwa vs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $277 per month, with Hikkaduwa 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

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

Hikkaduwa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 163% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $759 in Hikkaduwa and $1,995 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $506 per month in Hikkaduwa versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen – a 163% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $506 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Hikkaduwa but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Hikkaduwa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hikkaduwa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Hikkaduwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.