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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $548 in Battaramulla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $877 in Battaramulla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,205 in Battaramulla, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 138% 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

$11.96 MX$203

$4.31 LKR 1,416

177.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$25.54 LKR 8,393

85.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.53 LKR 2,476

56.04%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.56 LKR 840

60.94%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.74 LKR 244

89.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.25 LKR 81.6

264.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.21 LKR 726

45.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.12 LKR 1,024

126.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.61 LKR 529

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.57 LKR 188

277.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.77 LKR 252

129.87%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.59 LKR 522

77.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$13.02 LKR 4,279

-29.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.98 LKR 1,637

85.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.25 LKR 2,381

74.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$6.77 LKR 2,226

-56.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.88 LKR 290

79.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$4.32 LKR 1,420

-48.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.28 LKR 421

84.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.01 LKR 332

97.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.81 LKR 265

144.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.89 LKR 291

39.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.49 LKR 162

146.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$10.27 LKR 3,374

-55.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$13.62 LKR 4,476

-22.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.99 LKR 654

-15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.88 LKR 945

-3.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.41 LKR 136

1178.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.38 LKR 126

860.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$0.94 LKR 309

514.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.28 LKR 419

20.31%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$30.0K LKR 9.9M

-24.03%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$41.9K LKR 13.8M

-38.47%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$55.4 LKR 18.2K

63.58%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$4.07 LKR 1,339

518.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$20.87 LKR 6,859

52.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$30.43 LKR 9,997

126.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$6.23 LKR 2,046

371.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.50 LKR 1,479

8.00%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$38.31 LKR 12.6K

489.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$1,242 LKR 408.0K

237.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$20.20 LKR 6,637

134.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$16.51 LKR 5,426

163.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$79.7 LKR 26.2K

0.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$43.39 LKR 14.3K

110.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

12.69

-9.77%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Battaramulla: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Battaramulla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $237 – making Battaramulla the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 138% 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $822 in Battaramulla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $548 in Battaramulla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $38.31 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 $548, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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 $548 versus $1,305 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.