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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $496 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $831 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,167 in Anuradhapura, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 153% more than Anuradhapura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Anuradhapura are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Anuradhapura 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.03 LKR 1,355

197.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$24.97 LKR 8,391

67.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.21 LKR 2,761

30.94%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.73 LKR 919

28.21%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.72 LKR 244

101.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.40 LKR 135

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.28 LKR 765

29.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.38 LKR 1,134

33.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.71 LKR 573

-16.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.55 LKR 185

234.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.80 LKR 270

96.25%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.23 LKR 750

12.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$14.26 LKR 4,792

-41.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.72 LKR 1,587

78.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.28 LKR 2,782

28.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$7.61 LKR 2,556

-65.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.08 LKR 363

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$5.69 LKR 1,912

-65.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.20 LKR 402

74.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.11 LKR 374

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.40 LKR 472

55.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.16 LKR 389

-11.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.56 LKR 188

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$9.92 LKR 3,333

-58.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$12.49 LKR 4,197

-18.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.09 LKR 703

-19.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.87 LKR 963

-11.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.39 LKR 130

728.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.36 LKR 120

569.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$0.61 LKR 206

429.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.21 LKR 407

9.09%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

9.47%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$35.0K LKR 11.8M

-32.44%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$27.06 LKR 9,094

203.07%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$3.41 LKR 1,147

573.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$15.08 LKR 5,068

99.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.41 LKR 1,146

46.04%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$37.37 LKR 12.6K

428.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$447 LKR 150.3K

1092.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$27.71 LKR 9,312

28.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$19.27 LKR 6,476

109.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$70.5 LKR 23.7K

11.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$38.87 LKR 13.1K

128.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Anuradhapura: July 12, 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 $258 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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $496 in Anuradhapura – roughly 153% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $744 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 4% 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 $496, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $496 in Anuradhapura to $1,256 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.