Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Moratuwa and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Moratuwa: $131 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Moratuwa
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$131
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Moratuwa and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Moratuwa and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $131 per month in Moratuwa vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Moratuwa $131
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $211 per month in Moratuwa vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Moratuwa $211
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $291 per month in Moratuwa vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Moratuwa $291
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Moratuwa is about 89% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Moratuwa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Moratuwa 90% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Moratuwa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$10.92 MX$204
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$43.37 MX$808
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$11.78 MX$220
-
Cappuccino
$1.84 LKR 611
$3.81 MX$71.0
-51.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 LKR 234
$1.28 MX$23.90
-44.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15 LKR 49.28
$0.78 MX$14.59
-80.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.85 LKR 616
$3.17 MX$59.0
-41.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46 LKR 816
$4.93 MX$92.0
-50.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Moratuwa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.25 LKR 417
$1.41 MX$26.22
-11.35%
White Bread (500g)
$0.46 LKR 154
$2.22 MX$41.33
-79.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.82 LKR 272
$1.42 MX$26.42
-42.25%
Eggs
$2.36 LKR 785
$2.52 MX$47.03
-6.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.27 LKR 4,078
$7.26 MX$135
69.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$7.70 MX$143
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$12.69 MX$237
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$2.78 MX$51.9
-
Banana (1kg)
$0.46 LKR 154
$1.37 MX$25.50
-66.42%
Oranges (1kg)
-
$2.55 MX$47.55
-
Tomato (1kg)
-
$2.12 MX$39.58
-
Potato (1kg)
-
$1.94 MX$36.13
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$1.89 MX$35.16
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.15 MX$21.37
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.18 MX$21.98
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$4.30 MX$80.1
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$9.95 MX$185
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.58 MX$29.52
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.67 MX$49.79
-
🚌 Getting Around
Moratuwa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.55 MX$10.31
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.62 MX$496
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$4.97 MX$92.6
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$3.33 MX$62.1
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$5.36 MX$99.8
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.44 MX$26.92
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$20.7K MX$385.2K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$23.5K MX$437.4K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Moratuwa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$84.8 MX$1,581
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.44 LKR 1,475
$23.41 MX$436
-81.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$28.66 MX$534
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Moratuwa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.01 LKR 4,989
$57.1 MX$1,063
-73.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.08 LKR 1,024
$28.91 MX$539
-89.35%
Cinema Ticket
-
$5.14 MX$95.8
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Moratuwa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$207 MX$3,851
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$3,927 MX$73.2K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Moratuwa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$43.35 MX$808
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$6.05 LKR 2,013
$41.44 MX$772
-85.40%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$74.2 MX$1,383
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$89.3 MX$1,664
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Moratuwa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$980 MX$18.3K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$381 MX$7,099
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,708 MX$31.8K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,075 MX$20.0K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,943 MX$73.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,158 MX$114.8K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Moratuwa
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$735 MX$13.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
11.45
-

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

Last update for Moratuwa: October 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Moratuwa
–
Playa del Carmen
$381
Groceries & Markets
Moratuwa
–
Playa del Carmen
$255
Eating Out
Moratuwa
–
Playa del Carmen
$202
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Moratuwa
–
Playa del Carmen
$137
Clothing & Footwear
Moratuwa
–
Playa del Carmen
$112
Sport & Entertainment
Moratuwa
–
Playa del Carmen
$67
Getting Around
Moratuwa
–
Playa del Carmen
$50
Good to know
🇱🇰 Moratuwa
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
04:26 4:26 AM
17:56 5:56 PM
10 h 30 min behind Moratuwa
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
207,000
149,923
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to LKR – Sri Lankan Rupee Converter

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 332 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 370 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Moratuwa Playa del Carmen 16,650 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Moratuwa
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Moratuwa vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Moratuwa cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 817%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $197 per month in Moratuwa and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Moratuwa and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $131 in Moratuwa and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Moratuwa about 89% cheaper.
How do food prices compare in Moratuwa and in Playa del Carmen?
Groceries cost about 267% more in Playa del Carmen, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Moratuwa or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Moratuwa, where all-in costs run around $131, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Moratuwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Moratuwa or in Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $131 in Moratuwa to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Moratuwa vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?