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: $522 in Horana versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $841 in Horana versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,160 in Horana versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Horana costs roughly 59% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Horana 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 LKR 1,321

$11.87 MX$207

-66.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.66 LKR 8,312

$42.90 MX$749

-42.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 LKR 2,772

$10.65 MX$186

-22.72%

Cappuccino

$2.68 LKR 902

$3.45 MX$60.2

-22.32%

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

$0.73 LKR 244

$1.50 MX$26.24

-51.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 137

$0.95 MX$16.56

-56.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 LKR 769

$3.03 MX$52.8

-24.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 LKR 1,153

$4.61 MX$80.4

-25.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 582

$1.38 MX$24.01

25.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 LKR 190

$1.85 MX$32.24

-69.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 294

$1.61 MX$28.11

-45.96%

Eggs

$2.22 LKR 748

$2.59 MX$45.26

-14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.06 LKR 4,737

$8.26 MX$144

70.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 LKR 1,592

$8.37 MX$146

-43.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 LKR 2,703

$10.66 MX$186

-24.77%

Apples (1kg)

$7.31 LKR 2,465

$2.63 MX$45.89

177.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 374

$1.49 MX$25.96

-25.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.77 LKR 1,944

$1.92 MX$33.50

200.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 LKR 425

$2.09 MX$36.41

-39.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 373

$1.86 MX$32.42

-40.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 458

$2.26 MX$39.47

-39.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 LKR 399

$1.06 MX$18.54

11.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 LKR 199

$1.09 MX$18.98

-45.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.19 LKR 3,434

$4.15 MX$72.4

145.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 LKR 4,214

$10.39 MX$181

20.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 LKR 685

$1.72 MX$30.09

18.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 968

$2.61 MX$45.60

9.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 128

$3.13 MX$54.6

-87.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$2.51 MX$43.82

-86.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 190

$3.15 MX$55.0

-82.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 422

$1.27 MX$22.25

-1.57%

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

$26.5K LKR 8.9M

$30.4K MX$530.1K

-12.82%

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

$34.5K LKR 11.6M

$23.6K MX$411.3K

46.23%

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

$59.3 LKR 20.0K

$83.0 MX$1,449

-28.58%

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

$1.71 LKR 575

$22.71 MX$396

-92.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.14 LKR 1,732

$29.46 MX$514

-82.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$3.31 LKR 1,116

$4.93 MX$86.0

-32.86%

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

$37.10 LKR 12.5K

$197 MX$3,444

-81.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$449 LKR 151.4K

$5,280 MX$92.1K

-91.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.86 LKR 9,390

$36.90 MX$644

-24.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.55 LKR 6,590

$39.89 MX$696

-50.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 LKR 23.6K

$80.0 MX$1,396

-12.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.27 LKR 12.9K

$89.5 MX$1,561

-57.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

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 Horana: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $25.00 in Horana vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $256 vs $250, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 144% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $782 in Horana 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.

Childcare runs $37.10 in Horana 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 Horana – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $522 in Horana versus $1,271 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 144% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.