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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,215 in Playa del Carmen versus $505 in Beruwala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,144 in Playa del Carmen versus $825 in Beruwala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,072 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,144 in Beruwala.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 141% more expensive than in Beruwala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 9% lower, Beruwala 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.97 MX$197

$4.32 LKR 1,429

153.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.85 MX$806

$24.61 LKR 8,144

82.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 MX$214

$7.50 LKR 2,483

58.93%

Cappuccino

$3.80 MX$68.4

$2.42 LKR 801

57.02%

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

$1.31 MX$23.58

$0.73 LKR 243

79.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 MX$15.39

$0.25 LKR 81.8

244.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$57.7

$2.19 LKR 724

46.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 MX$90.1

$3.09 LKR 1,023

62.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.21

$1.63 LKR 538

-10.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 MX$41.83

$0.53 LKR 177

339.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.93

$0.76 LKR 251

89.47%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.25

$1.57 LKR 519

56.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$138

$13.68 LKR 4,526

-43.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 MX$142

$5.01 LKR 1,658

57.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 MX$230

$7.23 LKR 2,393

77.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MX$52.4

$6.94 LKR 2,298

-57.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 MX$25.56

$0.79 LKR 261

79.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.57 MX$46.12

$4.61 LKR 1,524

-44.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$38.42

$1.27 LKR 419

68.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.00

$1.00 LKR 330

95.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 MX$34.80

$0.82 LKR 270

136.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$20.69

$0.95 LKR 315

21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MX$21.95

$0.47 LKR 156

159.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$78.7

$10.33 LKR 3,418

-57.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.85 MX$177

$13.77 LKR 4,557

-28.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 MX$27.64

$1.97 LKR 651

-21.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$48.81

$3.05 LKR 1,008

-10.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.42 MX$493

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.91 MX$88.3

$0.38 LKR 124

1192.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.52 MX$63.3

$0.38 LKR 125

826.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.69 MX$102

$0.90 LKR 297

532.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$27.68

$1.35 LKR 445

14.07%

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

$21.2K MX$381.8K

$36.4K LKR 12.0M

-41.65%

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

$24.5K MX$440.2K

$40.6K LKR 13.4M

-39.65%

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

$83.6 MX$1,503

$54.2 LKR 17.9K

54.38%

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

$24.03 MX$432

$4.21 LKR 1,392

470.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.33 MX$527

$20.75 LKR 6,866

41.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.9 MX$1,166

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.46 MX$530

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MX$91.4

$4.46 LKR 1,477

14.13%

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

$208 MX$3,733

$37.96 LKR 12.6K

447.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$72.7K

$1,202 LKR 397.6K

236.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.55 MX$801

$18.02 LKR 5,963

147.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.06 MX$756

$16.67 LKR 5,516

152.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 MX$1,358

$78.1 LKR 25.8K

-3.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,642

$42.70 LKR 14.1K

113.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 MX$17.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 MX$6,924

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 MX$30.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 MX$19.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,016 MX$72.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.6K

$152 LKR 50.4K

397.62%

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: October 4, 2026

Last update for Beruwala: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 398% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $25.00 in Beruwala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $260 vs $240 per month, with Beruwala cheaper across the board.

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 Beruwala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Beruwala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 141% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 398% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,215 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $505 in Beruwala – a 141% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $505 in Beruwala versus $1,215 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Beruwala but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Beruwala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Beruwala is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Beruwala are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Beruwala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.