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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $932 per month in Matara vs $2,130 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,279 per month in Matara vs $2,999 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.53 LKR 801

$11.67 MX$202

-78.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.56 LKR 8,090

$41.88 MX$726

-38.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.26 LKR 2,615

$10.40 MX$180

-20.58%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 867

$3.61 MX$62.6

-24.10%

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

$0.68 LKR 214

$1.47 MX$25.45

-53.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 118

$0.91 MX$15.80

-59.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 LKR 747

$3.03 MX$52.6

-22.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 LKR 1,039

$4.47 MX$77.4

-26.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 LKR 552

$1.38 MX$23.83

26.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 175

$1.84 MX$31.93

-70.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 274

$1.61 MX$27.82

-45.96%

Eggs

$2.15 LKR 681

$2.57 MX$44.52

-16.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.88 LKR 4,392

$8.49 MX$147

63.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 LKR 1,491

$8.49 MX$147

-44.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 LKR 2,489

$10.99 MX$190

-28.48%

Apples (1kg)

$7.27 LKR 2,302

$2.73 MX$47.25

166.30%

Banana (1kg)

$0.52 LKR 164

$1.50 MX$25.92

-65.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.65 LKR 1,789

$1.96 MX$33.93

188.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.64 LKR 203

$2.12 MX$36.70

-69.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 258

$1.86 MX$32.30

-55.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 LKR 166

$2.17 MX$37.67

-75.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 377

$1.07 MX$18.59

11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 178

$1.05 MX$18.18

-46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.18 LKR 3,223

$4.19 MX$72.6

142.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.68 LKR 4,014

$10.28 MX$178

23.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 656

$1.67 MX$28.87

23.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 931

$2.49 MX$43.12

18.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.17 LKR 53.1

$0.54 MX$9.37

-68.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 132

$3.10 MX$53.8

-86.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 111

$2.46 MX$42.66

-85.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.58 LKR 183

$3.24 MX$56.1

-82.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 LKR 378

$1.26 MX$21.83

-5.56%

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

$26.9K LKR 8.5M

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-10.81%

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

$34.5K LKR 10.9M

$23.4K MX$406.3K

47.19%

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

$25.87 LKR 8,189

$84.0 MX$1,456

-69.20%

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

$4.31 LKR 1,365

$22.21 MX$385

-80.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.04 LKR 1,595

$29.65 MX$514

-83.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$3.45 LKR 1,090

$4.95 MX$85.7

-30.30%

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

$37.03 LKR 11.7K

$198 MX$3,438

-81.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$436 LKR 137.9K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

-91.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.27 LKR 8,632

$35.95 MX$623

-24.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.24 LKR 6,089

$40.06 MX$694

-51.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.5 LKR 21.7K

$78.8 MX$1,365

-13.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.22 LKR 12.4K

$86.5 MX$1,499

-54.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$169 LKR 53.5K

$977 MX$16.9K

-82.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 LKR 37.4K

$471 MX$8,158

-74.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 LKR 158.1K

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-68.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 LKR 53.4K

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-86.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$95.2 LKR 30.1K

$714 MX$12.4K

-86.67%

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $169 in Matara versus $977 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 650% 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 $26 in Matara versus $42 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $246 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 116%, 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 $877 per month in Matara and $1,891 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $37.03 per month in Matara and $198 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 $1,261. 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.