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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $514 per month in Piliyandala vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $810 per month in Piliyandala vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,106 per month in Piliyandala vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Piliyandala is about 60% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Piliyandala and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Piliyandala 62% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 LKR 1,139

$11.87 MX$204

-71.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.52 LKR 4,511

$42.90 MX$736

-68.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.60 LKR 2,868

$10.65 MX$183

-19.25%

Cappuccino

$2.68 LKR 893

$3.45 MX$59.2

-22.32%

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

$0.68 LKR 227

$1.50 MX$25.81

-54.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 135

$0.95 MX$16.28

-57.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 LKR 679

$3.03 MX$51.9

-32.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 LKR 1,099

$4.61 MX$79.1

-28.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 LKR 586

$1.38 MX$23.61

27.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 176

$1.85 MX$31.70

-71.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 LKR 291

$1.61 MX$27.65

-45.96%

Eggs

$2.23 LKR 744

$2.59 MX$44.51

-13.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.82 LKR 4,609

$8.26 MX$142

67.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 LKR 1,538

$8.37 MX$144

-44.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.21 LKR 2,740

$10.66 MX$183

-22.98%

Apples (1kg)

$7.58 LKR 2,529

$2.63 MX$45.12

188.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 371

$1.49 MX$25.53

-25.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.87 LKR 1,957

$1.92 MX$32.94

205.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 LKR 414

$2.09 MX$35.81

-40.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 371

$1.86 MX$31.88

-40.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 LKR 452

$2.26 MX$38.81

-40.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 LKR 379

$1.06 MX$18.23

7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 185

$1.09 MX$18.67

-49.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 LKR 3,324

$4.15 MX$71.2

140.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.87 LKR 4,292

$10.39 MX$178

23.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 LKR 666

$1.72 MX$29.59

16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 LKR 974

$2.61 MX$44.85

11.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 138

$3.13 MX$53.7

-86.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 LKR 118

$2.51 MX$43.09

-85.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 205

$3.15 MX$54.1

-80.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 LKR 418

$1.27 MX$21.88

-1.57%

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

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-11.87%

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

$34.4K LKR 11.5M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

46.10%

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

$60.6 LKR 20.2K

$83.0 MX$1,425

-26.99%

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

$4.42 LKR 1,475

$22.71 MX$390

-80.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.24 LKR 5,084

$29.46 MX$506

-48.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$3.45 LKR 1,150

$4.93 MX$84.5

-30.02%

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

$36.95 LKR 12.3K

$197 MX$3,386

-81.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$438 LKR 146.0K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-91.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.06 LKR 9,361

$36.90 MX$633

-23.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.67 LKR 6,560

$39.89 MX$685

-50.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.1 LKR 22.7K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-14.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.22 LKR 12.8K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-57.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

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)

$667 MX$11.4K

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 Piliyandala: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Piliyandala versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Piliyandala vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $514 in Piliyandala, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 147% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $771 per month in Piliyandala and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Piliyandala and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Piliyandala, where all-in costs run around $514, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Piliyandala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $514 in Piliyandala to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Piliyandala. 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.