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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $501 in Horana versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $832 in Horana versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,164 in Horana versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Horana 64% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 LKR 1,487

$11.96 MX$203

-62.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.53 LKR 8,389

$47.38 MX$804

-46.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 LKR 2,441

$11.75 MX$199

-36.77%

Cappuccino

$2.44 LKR 801

$4.12 MX$70.0

-40.78%

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

$0.74 LKR 243

$1.40 MX$23.74

-47.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.5

$0.91 MX$15.48

-72.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 LKR 720

$3.21 MX$54.4

-31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 LKR 1,021

$7.07 MX$120

-56.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 LKR 534

$1.68 MX$28.44

-2.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 175

$2.15 MX$36.48

-75.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 262

$1.77 MX$30.10

-54.80%

Eggs

$1.60 LKR 525

$2.82 MX$47.76

-43.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.38 LKR 4,396

$9.20 MX$156

45.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 LKR 1,632

$9.23 MX$157

-46.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.40 LKR 2,430

$12.64 MX$214

-41.46%

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 LKR 2,197

$2.95 MX$50.1

126.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 LKR 290

$1.58 MX$26.79

-44.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.31 LKR 1,417

$2.22 MX$37.70

94.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 LKR 426

$2.36 MX$40.09

-44.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 LKR 344

$1.99 MX$33.81

-47.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 LKR 262

$1.98 MX$33.58

-59.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LKR 290

$1.24 MX$21.04

-29.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 LKR 161

$1.21 MX$20.55

-59.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.57 LKR 3,474

$4.60 MX$78.1

129.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.77 LKR 4,523

$10.52 MX$178

30.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 LKR 629

$1.69 MX$28.70

13.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 LKR 922

$2.77 MX$47.06

1.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 138

$5.24 MX$88.8

-91.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 LKR 126

$3.65 MX$61.9

-89.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 LKR 295

$5.78 MX$98.1

-84.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 LKR 424

$1.54 MX$26.09

-16.23%

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

$31.0K LKR 10.2M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

35.90%

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

$41.8K LKR 13.7M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

62.11%

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

$54.3 LKR 17.8K

$90.7 MX$1,538

-40.13%

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

$4.21 LKR 1,384

$25.19 MX$427

-83.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.72 LKR 6,807

$31.75 MX$539

-34.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.47 LKR 1,467

$4.86 MX$82.5

-8.02%

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

$37.56 LKR 12.3K

$226 MX$3,828

-83.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,198 LKR 393.7K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

-71.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.15 LKR 6,622

$47.38 MX$804

-57.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.71 LKR 5,491

$43.45 MX$737

-61.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 LKR 26.1K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-0.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.10 LKR 13.8K

$91.4 MX$1,550

-53.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

11.45

10.83%

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

Last update for Horana: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $26.00 in Horana vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $278 per month, with Horana 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

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

Horana is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $751 in Horana and $1,958 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.

Childcare runs $37.56 in Horana versus $226 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 Horana – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $501 in Horana versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Horana but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Horana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Horana 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 Horana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.