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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $520 in Battaramulla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $862 in Battaramulla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,204 in Battaramulla, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 143% more than Battaramulla, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Battaramulla are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Battaramulla 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$4.09 LKR 1,295

185.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$25.34 LKR 8,019

65.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$8.33 LKR 2,636

24.85%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.67 LKR 844

35.21%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.69 LKR 219

113.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.37 LKR 118

145.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.35 LKR 745

28.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$3.28 LKR 1,039

36.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.77 LKR 562

-22.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.56 LKR 176

228.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$0.87 LKR 277

85.06%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.13 LKR 674

20.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$13.99 LKR 4,428

-39.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.80 LKR 1,521

76.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$7.99 LKR 2,528

37.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$7.28 LKR 2,305

-62.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.12 LKR 355

33.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$5.91 LKR 1,871

-66.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.26 LKR 399

68.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.15 LKR 363

61.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.36 LKR 431

59.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.19 LKR 378

-10.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.61 LKR 192

72.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$9.95 LKR 3,150

-57.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$12.89 LKR 4,080

-20.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$2.09 LKR 663

-20.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.82 LKR 894

-11.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.41 LKR 131

656.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.33 LKR 104

645.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$0.61 LKR 194

431.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.20 LKR 379

5.00%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

13.68%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$34.5K LKR 10.9M

-32.01%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$60.8 LKR 19.3K

38.05%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$4.37 LKR 1,385

408.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$15.00 LKR 4,749

97.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$3.33 LKR 1,055

48.65%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$36.43 LKR 11.5K

444.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$443 LKR 140.3K

1100.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$27.14 LKR 8,590

32.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$19.64 LKR 6,217

103.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$69.5 LKR 22.0K

13.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$38.31 LKR 12.1K

125.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Battaramulla: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $0 in Battaramulla. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $25 in Battaramulla. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $259 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 143% 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $780 in Battaramulla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $520 in Battaramulla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $36.43 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 $520, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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 $520 versus $1,261 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.