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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $535 in Battaramulla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $866 in Battaramulla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,197 in Battaramulla, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 136% more than Battaramulla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Battaramulla are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Battaramulla 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$4.10 LKR 1,373

185.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$25.24 LKR 8,458

65.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$8.22 LKR 2,753

27.86%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.65 LKR 889

35.47%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.68 LKR 228

122.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.37 LKR 126

148.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$2.37 LKR 793

24.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$3.28 LKR 1,099

34.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.79 LKR 599

-21.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.51 LKR 172

268.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$0.81 LKR 271

92.59%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.12 LKR 711

23.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$13.95 LKR 4,674

-40.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$4.70 LKR 1,575

77.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$8.15 LKR 2,729

33.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$7.43 LKR 2,488

-63.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.06 LKR 356

42.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$5.65 LKR 1,892

-66.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.24 LKR 416

76.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.16 LKR 388

60.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.41 LKR 472

58.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.15 LKR 384

-6.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.60 LKR 201

81.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$9.86 LKR 3,304

-57.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$12.77 LKR 4,279

-18.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$2.00 LKR 669

-17.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.87 LKR 963

-9.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.41 LKR 138

651.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.33 LKR 110

627.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$0.61 LKR 206

413.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.24 LKR 416

5.65%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$27.3K LKR 9.2M

9.10%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$34.5K LKR 11.6M

-32.40%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$60.9 LKR 20.4K

33.42%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$4.30 LKR 1,442

424.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$15.24 LKR 5,108

97.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$3.40 LKR 1,139

44.71%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$36.82 LKR 12.3K

445.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$445 LKR 149.2K

1062.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$27.51 LKR 9,216

30.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$19.26 LKR 6,453

108.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$69.4 LKR 23.2K

14.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$38.40 LKR 12.9K

125.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

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 27, 2026

Last update for Battaramulla: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Battaramulla. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $256 in Battaramulla – 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 Battaramulla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 136% more than Battaramulla, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $802 in Battaramulla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $535 in Battaramulla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $36.82 in Battaramulla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Battaramulla, where all-in costs run around $535, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Battaramulla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Battaramulla costs $535 versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Battaramulla. 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.