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 $512 per month in Piliyandala vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $814 per month in Piliyandala vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,115 per month in Piliyandala vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Piliyandala is about 59% 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

$3.39 LKR 1,137

$11.72 MX$203

-71.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.41 LKR 4,501

$41.89 MX$725

-67.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.25 LKR 2,769

$10.51 MX$182

-21.50%

Cappuccino

$2.74 LKR 921

$3.59 MX$62.0

-23.68%

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

$0.72 LKR 242

$1.51 MX$26.10

-52.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 LKR 136

$0.92 MX$15.83

-56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 LKR 689

$2.96 MX$51.2

-30.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 LKR 1,136

$4.41 MX$76.3

-23.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 LKR 574

$1.40 MX$24.16

22.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 175

$1.88 MX$32.60

-72.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 LKR 277

$1.56 MX$26.97

-46.79%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 712

$2.61 MX$45.14

-18.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.99 LKR 4,693

$8.32 MX$144

68.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 LKR 1,556

$8.35 MX$145

-44.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.98 LKR 2,678

$10.86 MX$188

-26.52%

Apples (1kg)

$7.64 LKR 2,563

$2.71 MX$46.93

181.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 LKR 359

$1.51 MX$26.04

-29.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.62 LKR 1,885

$1.87 MX$32.41

200.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 LKR 403

$2.19 MX$37.89

-45.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 374

$1.86 MX$32.14

-40.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 LKR 455

$2.23 MX$38.59

-39.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 LKR 399

$1.07 MX$18.48

11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 203

$1.09 MX$18.79

-44.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.89 LKR 3,319

$4.19 MX$72.4

136.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 LKR 4,211

$10.43 MX$180

20.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 LKR 691

$1.66 MX$28.68

24.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 986

$2.61 MX$45.19

12.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 141

$3.08 MX$53.3

-86.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 109

$2.40 MX$41.61

-86.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 LKR 192

$3.13 MX$54.1

-81.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LKR 403

$1.31 MX$22.69

-8.40%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-8.70%

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

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

49.00%

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

$60.4 LKR 20.3K

$81.3 MX$1,406

-25.70%

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

$4.45 LKR 1,492

$22.56 MX$390

-80.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.23 LKR 5,112

$30.05 MX$520

-49.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$3.30 LKR 1,109

$4.92 MX$85.1

-32.93%

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

$36.19 LKR 12.1K

$201 MX$3,474

-81.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$442 LKR 148.4K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-91.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.95 LKR 9,378

$35.92 MX$622

-22.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.33 LKR 6,487

$40.13 MX$694

-51.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 LKR 23.5K

$79.7 MX$1,379

-12.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.09 LKR 12.8K

$86.5 MX$1,496

-55.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Piliyandala versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Piliyandala vs $252 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: $512 in Piliyandala, $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 146% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $768 per month in Piliyandala and $1,890 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 $13.00 in Piliyandala and $42.00 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 2% 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 $512, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $512 in Piliyandala to $1,260 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.