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: $413 in Negombo versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $687 in Negombo versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $962 in Negombo versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Negombo costs roughly 68% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Negombo 69% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.96 LKR 1,320

$11.73 MX$203

-66.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.05 LKR 6,021

$41.62 MX$721

-56.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 LKR 2,778

$10.64 MX$184

-21.71%

Cappuccino

$1.39 LKR 463

$3.52 MX$61.0

-60.51%

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

$0.73 LKR 245

$1.51 MX$26.17

-51.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 125

$0.97 MX$16.87

-60.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 LKR 661

$2.95 MX$51.1

-32.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 LKR 1,125

$4.45 MX$77.2

-24.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 LKR 512

$1.38 MX$23.97

11.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 LKR 162

$1.89 MX$32.78

-74.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 LKR 269

$1.64 MX$28.37

-50.61%

Eggs

$2.19 LKR 730

$2.51 MX$43.42

-12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.35 LKR 4,784

$8.34 MX$145

72.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 LKR 1,534

$8.34 MX$145

-44.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.64 LKR 1,882

$10.73 MX$186

-47.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 LKR 656

$2.60 MX$45.12

-24.23%

Banana (1kg)

$0.77 LKR 255

$1.46 MX$25.25

-47.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.49 LKR 830

$1.90 MX$32.94

31.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 399

$2.08 MX$35.98

-42.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 285

$1.78 MX$30.77

-52.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 LKR 323

$2.19 MX$37.87

-55.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 LKR 325

$1.04 MX$18.02

-6.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 LKR 190

$1.08 MX$18.66

-47.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.90 LKR 2,970

$4.08 MX$70.7

118.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.93 LKR 4,311

$10.32 MX$179

25.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 LKR 691

$1.71 MX$29.67

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 LKR 991

$2.58 MX$44.63

15.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 LKR 105

$0.51 MX$8.83

-37.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.39 LKR 130

$3.26 MX$56.5

-88.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 110

$2.49 MX$43.17

-86.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 190

$3.25 MX$56.3

-82.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 LKR 421

$1.31 MX$22.65

-3.82%

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

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-12.27%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.8M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

51.20%

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

$30.48 LKR 10.2K

$82.9 MX$1,436

-63.22%

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

$4.43 LKR 1,477

$22.22 MX$385

-80.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.87 LKR 4,960

$29.34 MX$508

-49.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.58 LKR 4,527

$51.6 MX$895

-73.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.12 LKR 3,374

$18.32 MX$317

-44.76%

Cinema Ticket

$2.48 LKR 827

$5.07 MX$87.8

-51.08%

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

$36.75 LKR 12.3K

$201 MX$3,480

-81.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 147.2K

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-91.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.50 LKR 6,503

$36.92 MX$640

-47.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.18 LKR 6,396

$39.79 MX$689

-51.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.26 LKR 16.1K

$78.5 MX$1,360

-38.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.40 LKR 8,803

$87.1 MX$1,509

-69.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$178 LKR 59.4K

$664 MX$11.5K

-73.19%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 273% 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 $203 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 214% 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, Playa del Carmen earns 273% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $36.75 in Negombo versus $201 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 $413 in Negombo versus $1,297 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 $413 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 214% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.