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: $587 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,120 in Hikkaduwa versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,653 in Hikkaduwa versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Hikkaduwa costs roughly 54% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hikkaduwa 56% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 LKR 1,311

$11.87 MX$204

-66.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.89 LKR 8,302

$42.90 MX$736

-41.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.56 LKR 2,855

$10.65 MX$183

-19.62%

Cappuccino

$2.64 LKR 879

$3.45 MX$59.2

-23.48%

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

$0.72 LKR 242

$1.50 MX$25.81

-52.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 LKR 114

$0.95 MX$16.28

-64.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 LKR 769

$3.03 MX$51.9

-23.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 LKR 1,103

$4.61 MX$79.1

-28.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 LKR 582

$1.38 MX$23.61

26.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$1.85 MX$31.70

-71.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 270

$1.61 MX$27.65

-49.69%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 737

$2.59 MX$44.51

-14.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.05 LKR 4,688

$8.26 MX$142

70.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 LKR 1,522

$8.37 MX$144

-45.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 LKR 2,641

$10.66 MX$183

-25.70%

Apples (1kg)

$7.50 LKR 2,501

$2.63 MX$45.12

185.17%

Banana (1kg)

$0.34 LKR 114

$1.49 MX$25.53

-77.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 LKR 870

$1.92 MX$32.94

35.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 LKR 327

$2.09 MX$35.81

-53.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 371

$1.86 MX$31.88

-40.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 LKR 120

$2.26 MX$38.81

-84.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 385

$1.06 MX$18.23

8.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 188

$1.09 MX$18.67

-48.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.94 LKR 3,314

$4.15 MX$71.2

139.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.77 LKR 4,259

$10.39 MX$178

22.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 LKR 674

$1.72 MX$29.59

17.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 LKR 949

$2.61 MX$44.85

8.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 106

$0.54 MX$9.30

-40.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 127

$3.13 MX$53.7

-87.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$2.51 MX$43.09

-86.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 204

$3.15 MX$54.1

-80.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 404

$1.27 MX$21.88

-4.72%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.8M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-12.70%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

49.50%

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

$59.7 LKR 19.9K

$83.0 MX$1,425

-28.07%

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

$4.34 LKR 1,449

$22.71 MX$390

-80.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.42 LKR 5,144

$29.46 MX$506

-47.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$3.27 LKR 1,091

$4.93 MX$84.5

-33.67%

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

$36.65 LKR 12.2K

$197 MX$3,386

-81.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 148.3K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-91.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.54 LKR 9,185

$36.90 MX$633

-25.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.60 LKR 6,537

$39.89 MX$685

-50.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 LKR 22.9K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-14.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.26 LKR 13.1K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-56.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 LKR 55.8K

$956 MX$16.4K

-82.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.8 LKR 28.3K

$477 MX$8,189

-82.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,685 LKR 561.9K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

2.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 LKR 169.7K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-58.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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 Hikkaduwa: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $167 in Hikkaduwa and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Hikkaduwa vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $250 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 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $881 in Hikkaduwa and $1,906 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $167 in Hikkaduwa versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $587 per month in Hikkaduwa versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $587 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,271 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 116% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.