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 $513 per month in Piliyandala vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $811 per month in Piliyandala vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,109 per month in Piliyandala vs $3,082 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 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.41 LKR 1,085

$11.94 MX$208

-71.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$13.47 LKR 4,293

$42.75 MX$744

-68.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 LKR 2,725

$10.59 MX$184

-19.26%

Cappuccino

$2.75 LKR 875

$3.62 MX$63.0

-24.03%

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

$0.73 LKR 233

$1.47 MX$25.54

-50.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 LKR 119

$0.94 MX$16.41

-60.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.06 LKR 656

$3.09 MX$53.8

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 LKR 1,038

$4.46 MX$77.6

-26.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 LKR 541

$1.43 MX$24.80

18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 LKR 165

$1.88 MX$32.79

-72.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.82 LKR 262

$1.63 MX$28.34

-49.69%

Eggs

$2.14 LKR 680

$2.64 MX$45.99

-18.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.10 LKR 4,492

$8.21 MX$143

71.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 LKR 1,524

$8.29 MX$144

-42.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 LKR 2,636

$11.10 MX$193

-25.50%

Apples (1kg)

$7.62 LKR 2,427

$2.65 MX$46.14

187.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 353

$1.50 MX$26.11

-26.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.64 LKR 1,797

$1.99 MX$34.59

183.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 399

$2.08 MX$36.13

-39.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 LKR 357

$1.79 MX$31.11

-37.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 439

$2.18 MX$37.87

-36.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 LKR 367

$1.08 MX$18.73

6.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LKR 176

$1.04 MX$18.04

-47.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.09 LKR 3,214

$3.97 MX$69.1

154.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.71 LKR 4,049

$10.20 MX$178

24.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 LKR 642

$1.73 MX$30.04

16.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 LKR 932

$2.50 MX$43.46

17.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 LKR 133

$3.14 MX$54.7

-86.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 LKR 104

$2.40 MX$41.80

-86.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 180

$3.09 MX$53.7

-81.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 384

$1.27 MX$22.16

-4.72%

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

$27.1K LKR 8.6M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-12.10%

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

$35.2K LKR 11.2M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

51.17%

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

$60.0 LKR 19.1K

$82.0 MX$1,427

-26.80%

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

$4.32 LKR 1,375

$22.45 MX$391

-80.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.44 LKR 4,918

$29.66 MX$516

-47.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 LKR 1,094

$4.97 MX$86.5

-30.99%

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

$36.22 LKR 11.5K

$198 MX$3,442

-81.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$448 LKR 142.6K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-91.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.73 LKR 8,835

$36.34 MX$632

-23.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.58 LKR 6,238

$40.05 MX$697

-51.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 LKR 21.9K

$79.9 MX$1,390

-13.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.69 LKR 12.3K

$88.9 MX$1,547

-56.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $13.00 in Piliyandala versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Piliyandala vs $251 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: $513 in Piliyandala, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 151% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $769 per month in Piliyandala and $1,930 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 $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 $513, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $513 in Piliyandala to $1,287 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.