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: $398 in Negombo versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $648 in Negombo versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $898 in Negombo versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Negombo costs roughly 69% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Negombo 71% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.34 LKR 1,436

$11.60 MX$200

-62.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.72 LKR 5,530

$47.11 MX$811

-64.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.74 LKR 2,559

$11.88 MX$205

-34.85%

Cappuccino

$1.29 LKR 426

$3.98 MX$68.5

-67.59%

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

$0.74 LKR 246

$1.43 MX$24.57

-48.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 LKR 81.9

$0.82 MX$14.20

-69.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 LKR 752

$3.19 MX$54.9

-28.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 LKR 1,016

$6.79 MX$117

-54.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 LKR 521

$1.68 MX$28.85

-5.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 LKR 191

$2.20 MX$37.83

-73.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 LKR 252

$1.71 MX$29.41

-55.56%

Eggs

$1.66 LKR 547

$2.74 MX$47.20

-39.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.04 LKR 4,312

$9.58 MX$165

36.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.22 LKR 1,396

$9.01 MX$155

-53.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.04 LKR 1,997

$12.81 MX$221

-52.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 LKR 600

$2.89 MX$49.74

-37.02%

Banana (1kg)

$0.68 LKR 226

$1.50 MX$25.78

-54.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 LKR 736

$2.15 MX$36.98

3.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 401

$2.26 MX$38.91

-46.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 LKR 241

$1.98 MX$34.10

-63.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 247

$1.99 MX$34.26

-62.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 LKR 297

$1.23 MX$21.25

-26.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 LKR 160

$1.20 MX$20.60

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.21 LKR 3,375

$4.55 MX$78.3

124.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.48 LKR 4,457

$10.37 MX$179

29.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 LKR 628

$1.62 MX$27.88

17.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 LKR 917

$2.88 MX$49.60

-3.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 LKR 103

$0.60 MX$10.34

-48.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.38 LKR 126

$5.39 MX$92.8

-92.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 119

$3.73 MX$64.2

-90.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 LKR 294

$5.77 MX$99.3

-84.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 LKR 347

$1.54 MX$26.45

-31.82%

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

$30.1K LKR 9.9M

$22.5K MX$388.3K

33.37%

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

$42.3K LKR 14.0M

$26.1K MX$448.7K

62.30%

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

$25.91 LKR 8,566

$91.4 MX$1,573

-71.65%

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

$4.26 LKR 1,408

$25.20 MX$434

-83.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.26 LKR 7,031

$31.24 MX$538

-31.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.30 LKR 5,058

$67.2 MX$1,157

-77.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.32 LKR 3,083

$29.11 MX$501

-67.98%

Cinema Ticket

$2.45 LKR 811

$4.86 MX$83.7

-49.59%

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

$37.62 LKR 12.4K

$224 MX$3,851

-83.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$460 LKR 152.1K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

-89.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$8.89 LKR 2,940

$47.10 MX$811

-81.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.80 LKR 5,554

$44.29 MX$763

-62.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.16 LKR 12.3K

$80.1 MX$1,379

-53.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.13 LKR 7,980

$92.7 MX$1,596

-73.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$180 LKR 59.7K

$758 MX$13.1K

-76.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.69

11.45

10.83%

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

Last update for Negombo: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 320% 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: $17.00 in Negombo vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $276 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 218% 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 320% 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 $37.62 in Negombo versus $224 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 $17.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $398 in Negombo versus $1,266 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 $398 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 218% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.