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 $583 per month in Matara vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $928 per month in Matara vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,272 per month in Matara vs $2,980 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 57% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.47 LKR 825

$11.87 MX$204

-79.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.67 LKR 8,231

$42.90 MX$736

-42.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.45 LKR 2,817

$10.65 MX$183

-20.66%

Cappuccino

$2.77 LKR 923

$3.45 MX$59.2

-19.71%

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

$0.69 LKR 232

$1.50 MX$25.81

-54.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 125

$0.95 MX$16.28

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 794

$3.03 MX$51.9

-21.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 LKR 1,104

$4.61 MX$79.1

-28.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 577

$1.38 MX$23.61

25.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 185

$1.85 MX$31.70

-70.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 287

$1.61 MX$27.65

-46.58%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 711

$2.59 MX$44.51

-17.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.00 LKR 4,670

$8.26 MX$142

69.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 LKR 1,517

$8.37 MX$144

-45.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.88 LKR 2,628

$10.66 MX$183

-26.08%

Apples (1kg)

$7.65 LKR 2,553

$2.63 MX$45.12

190.87%

Banana (1kg)

$0.53 LKR 176

$1.49 MX$25.53

-64.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.88 LKR 1,962

$1.92 MX$32.94

206.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 LKR 217

$2.09 MX$35.81

-68.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 276

$1.86 MX$31.88

-55.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 LKR 162

$2.26 MX$38.81

-78.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 384

$1.06 MX$18.23

8.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 190

$1.09 MX$18.67

-47.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.01 LKR 3,340

$4.15 MX$71.2

141.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 LKR 4,286

$10.39 MX$178

23.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 702

$1.72 MX$29.59

22.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 LKR 959

$2.61 MX$44.85

9.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 LKR 54.7

$0.54 MX$9.30

-70.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$3.13 MX$53.7

-87.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 109

$2.51 MX$43.09

-86.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 191

$3.15 MX$54.1

-81.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 402

$1.27 MX$21.88

-4.72%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-11.81%

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

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

48.67%

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

$25.92 LKR 8,645

$83.0 MX$1,425

-68.77%

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

$4.26 LKR 1,423

$22.71 MX$390

-81.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.11 LKR 1,706

$29.46 MX$506

-82.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 LKR 1,144

$4.93 MX$84.5

-30.43%

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

$37.26 LKR 12.4K

$197 MX$3,386

-81.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$445 LKR 148.3K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-91.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.74 LKR 9,252

$36.90 MX$633

-24.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.47 LKR 6,494

$39.89 MX$685

-51.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 LKR 23.4K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-12.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.21 LKR 12.7K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-57.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 LKR 55.7K

$956 MX$16.4K

-82.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$119 LKR 39.5K

$477 MX$8,189

-75.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 LKR 164.7K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-70.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$169 LKR 56.5K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-86.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$106 LKR 35.2K

$667 MX$11.4K

-84.16%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $167 in Matara versus $956 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 531% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $250 – 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 118%, 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 $875 per month in Matara and $1,906 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 $583 in Matara and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $37.26 per month in Matara and $197 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 $583, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.