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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $585 per month in Matara vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $915 per month in Matara vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,245 per month in Matara vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Matara is about 54% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Matara and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Matara 56% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.44 LKR 819

$11.72 MX$204

-79.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.31 LKR 8,481

$41.89 MX$731

-39.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 LKR 2,823

$10.51 MX$183

-19.89%

Cappuccino

$2.76 LKR 926

$3.59 MX$62.5

-23.12%

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

$0.72 LKR 243

$1.51 MX$26.31

-52.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 125

$0.92 MX$15.96

-59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 LKR 779

$2.96 MX$51.6

-21.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 LKR 1,152

$4.41 MX$76.9

-22.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 571

$1.40 MX$24.35

21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 175

$1.88 MX$32.87

-72.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 273

$1.56 MX$27.19

-48.08%

Eggs

$2.20 LKR 737

$2.61 MX$45.50

-15.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.25 LKR 4,773

$8.32 MX$145

71.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 LKR 1,600

$8.35 MX$146

-42.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 LKR 2,639

$10.86 MX$189

-27.53%

Apples (1kg)

$7.39 LKR 2,477

$2.71 MX$47.31

172.69%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 LKR 185

$1.51 MX$26.25

-63.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.90 LKR 1,978

$1.87 MX$32.67

215.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 LKR 233

$2.19 MX$38.19

-68.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 289

$1.86 MX$32.40

-53.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 LKR 176

$2.23 MX$38.90

-76.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 384

$1.07 MX$18.63

7.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 202

$1.09 MX$18.94

-44.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 LKR 3,339

$4.19 MX$73.0

137.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.83 LKR 4,300

$10.43 MX$182

23.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 LKR 697

$1.66 MX$28.91

25.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 LKR 1,001

$2.61 MX$45.56

14.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 LKR 61.3

$0.54 MX$9.45

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 139

$3.08 MX$53.7

-86.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 119

$2.40 MX$41.94

-85.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 188

$3.13 MX$54.5

-82.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 LKR 408

$1.31 MX$22.87

-6.87%

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

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

$29.8K MX$519.9K

-10.72%

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

$34.5K LKR 11.6M

$23.3K MX$406.8K

47.84%

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

$25.15 LKR 8,426

$81.3 MX$1,418

-69.06%

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

$4.23 LKR 1,417

$22.56 MX$393

-81.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.10 LKR 1,710

$30.05 MX$524

-83.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$3.31 LKR 1,107

$4.92 MX$85.8

-32.72%

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

$37.49 LKR 12.6K

$201 MX$3,502

-81.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$438 LKR 146.7K

$5,175 MX$90.2K

-91.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.09 LKR 9,411

$35.92 MX$627

-21.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.49 LKR 6,531

$40.13 MX$700

-51.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 LKR 23.0K

$79.7 MX$1,390

-13.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.16 LKR 12.8K

$86.5 MX$1,508

-55.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$166 LKR 55.7K

$978 MX$17.1K

-83.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$117 LKR 39.3K

$470 MX$8,206

-75.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 LKR 166.8K

$1,651 MX$28.8K

-69.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 LKR 55.8K

$1,203 MX$21.0K

-86.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$102 LKR 34.3K

$677 MX$11.8K

-84.86%

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 Matara: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $166 in Matara versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 561% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Matara versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $252 – making Matara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 115%, 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 $878 per month in Matara and $1,890 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Matara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $585 in Matara and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $37.49 per month in Matara and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Matara, where all-in costs run around $585, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Matara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Matara – 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 Matara. 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.