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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $489 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $823 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,157 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 165% more than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Anuradhapura are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Anuradhapura 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.91 LKR 1,296

200.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$25.39 LKR 8,419

63.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.41 LKR 2,788

26.52%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.63 LKR 871

33.84%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.69 LKR 229

118.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.38 LKR 125

155.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.38 LKR 791

23.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.39 LKR 1,125

31.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.72 LKR 572

-19.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.56 LKR 186

237.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$0.85 LKR 283

92.94%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.22 LKR 736

13.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$13.83 LKR 4,587

-39.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.69 LKR 1,555

77.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.02 LKR 2,659

33.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$7.26 LKR 2,406

-64.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.11 LKR 368

31.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$5.91 LKR 1,958

-67.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.24 LKR 411

67.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.10 LKR 364

61.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.42 LKR 471

54.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.15 LKR 382

-9.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.60 LKR 200

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$10.18 LKR 3,377

-59.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$12.77 LKR 4,236

-19.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$2.07 LKR 685

-17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.87 LKR 953

-10.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.39 LKR 128

735.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$0.35 LKR 117

611.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$0.56 LKR 186

480.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.20 LKR 396

9.17%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$27.1K LKR 9.0M

11.86%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$35.3K LKR 11.7M

-33.54%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$26.43 LKR 8,764

213.55%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$3.25 LKR 1,079

583.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$14.92 LKR 4,948

96.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$3.29 LKR 1,090

54.10%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$36.52 LKR 12.1K

449.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$439 LKR 145.7K

1086.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$28.02 LKR 9,292

31.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$19.62 LKR 6,504

102.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$69.8 LKR 23.1K

12.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$39.00 LKR 12.9K

123.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

16.45

-30.58%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Anuradhapura. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $257 in Anuradhapura – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $489 in Anuradhapura – roughly 165% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $734 in Anuradhapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $25.00 in Anuradhapura. 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 Anuradhapura, where all-in costs run around $489, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Anuradhapura 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 $489 in Anuradhapura to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Anuradhapura. 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.