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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $472 per month in Maharagama vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $789 per month in Maharagama vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,106 per month in Maharagama vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Maharagama is about 63% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Maharagama and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Maharagama 65% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 LKR 621

$1.43 MX$24.80

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 LKR 163

$1.88 MX$32.79

-72.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 243

$1.63 MX$28.34

-53.37%

Eggs

$2.11 LKR 672

$2.64 MX$45.99

-20.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.26 LKR 5,181

$8.21 MX$143

98.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.78 LKR 1,841

$8.29 MX$144

-30.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.74 LKR 3,422

$11.10 MX$193

-3.24%

Apples (1kg)

$11.49 LKR 3,661

$2.65 MX$46.14

333.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 LKR 392

$1.50 MX$26.11

-18.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$10.00 LKR 3,185

$1.99 MX$34.59

402.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 LKR 591

$2.08 MX$36.13

-11.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 368

$1.79 MX$31.11

-35.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 370

$2.18 MX$37.87

-46.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.63 LKR 518

$1.08 MX$18.73

50.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 193

$1.04 MX$18.04

-41.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.78 LKR 3,115

$3.97 MX$69.1

146.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 LKR 634

$1.73 MX$30.04

15.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 LKR 1,032

$2.50 MX$43.46

29.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$3.30 LKR 1,050

$26.97 MX$469

-87.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.32 LKR 101

$3.14 MX$54.7

-89.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 LKR 99.4

$2.40 MX$41.80

-87.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 LKR 438

$1.27 MX$22.16

7.87%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$53.7 LKR 17.1K

$82.0 MX$1,427

-34.53%

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

$3.44 LKR 1,096

$22.45 MX$391

-84.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.68 LKR 4,041

$29.66 MX$516

-57.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.44 LKR 4,284

$51.9 MX$903

-74.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 LKR 1,621

$4.97 MX$86.5

2.41%

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

$68.0 LKR 21.7K

$198 MX$3,442

-65.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$510 LKR 162.5K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-90.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.77 LKR 7,891

$36.34 MX$632

-31.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$13.55 LKR 4,318

$40.05 MX$697

-66.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.8 LKR 17.4K

$79.9 MX$1,390

-31.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.3 LKR 18.6K

$88.9 MX$1,547

-34.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 LKR 52.5K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-89.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 LKR 36.9K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-90.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

48.86%

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

Last update for Maharagama: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 172%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $709 per month in Maharagama and $1,930 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 717% less in Maharagama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $472, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Maharagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maharagama – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Maharagama. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.