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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $417 in Negombo versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $688 in Negombo versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $958 in Negombo versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Negombo costs roughly 67% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Negombo 69% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 LKR 1,356

$11.99 MX$209

-66.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.34 LKR 6,165

$41.78 MX$728

-56.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.18 LKR 2,750

$10.75 MX$187

-23.91%

Cappuccino

$1.36 LKR 457

$3.50 MX$60.9

-61.14%

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

$0.68 LKR 229

$1.45 MX$25.22

-53.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 125

$0.88 MX$15.41

-57.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 LKR 658

$2.95 MX$51.3

-33.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 LKR 1,118

$4.51 MX$78.6

-26.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 LKR 520

$1.43 MX$24.94

8.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 LKR 164

$1.84 MX$31.99

-73.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 288

$1.57 MX$27.31

-45.22%

Eggs

$2.21 LKR 742

$2.51 MX$43.74

-11.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.31 LKR 4,810

$8.28 MX$144

72.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 LKR 1,549

$8.43 MX$147

-45.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.58 LKR 1,876

$10.68 MX$186

-47.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 LKR 680

$2.61 MX$45.43

-22.61%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 257

$1.44 MX$25.04

-46.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.44 LKR 819

$1.96 MX$34.16

24.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 408

$2.09 MX$36.47

-42.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 LKR 289

$1.85 MX$32.24

-53.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 LKR 318

$2.17 MX$37.74

-56.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 LKR 344

$1.03 MX$17.96

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 LKR 204

$1.07 MX$18.70

-42.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.64 LKR 2,903

$4.10 MX$71.4

110.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 LKR 4,325

$10.17 MX$177

26.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 694

$1.68 MX$29.17

22.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 LKR 993

$2.53 MX$43.98

17.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 106

$0.51 MX$8.87

-37.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 131

$3.23 MX$56.3

-87.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 112

$2.41 MX$41.88

-86.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 LKR 203

$3.23 MX$56.2

-81.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 406

$1.32 MX$23.00

-8.33%

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

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-8.70%

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

$34.4K LKR 11.6M

$23.7K MX$412.0K

45.40%

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

$30.72 LKR 10.3K

$82.0 MX$1,428

-62.54%

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

$4.31 LKR 1,448

$22.95 MX$400

-81.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.95 LKR 5,025

$30.11 MX$524

-50.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.13 LKR 4,413

$52.0 MX$905

-74.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.88 LKR 3,321

$18.53 MX$323

-46.68%

Cinema Ticket

$2.49 LKR 837

$4.98 MX$86.6

-50.00%

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

$36.96 LKR 12.4K

$197 MX$3,438

-81.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 148.5K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

-91.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.56 LKR 6,574

$35.60 MX$620

-45.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.18 LKR 6,447

$40.33 MX$702

-52.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.46 LKR 16.3K

$78.8 MX$1,371

-38.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.21 LKR 9,144

$88.9 MX$1,549

-69.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 LKR 59.5K

$654 MX$11.4K

-72.91%

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 Negombo: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 269% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Negombo vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $249 per month, with Negombo cheaper across the board.

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

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

Negombo wins on cost – living expenses run 201% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Negombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 269% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $36.96 in Negombo versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Negombo – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $417 in Negombo versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Negombo but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Negombo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Negombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $417 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Negombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Negombo and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Negombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 201% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.