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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $533 in Beruwala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $855 in Beruwala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,177 in Beruwala.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 138% more expensive than Beruwala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Beruwala 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.91 LKR 1,304

203.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$25.20 LKR 8,405

70.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.35 LKR 2,785

27.54%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.70 LKR 901

27.78%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.68 LKR 227

120.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.41 LKR 136

131.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.38 LKR 793

27.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.30 LKR 1,102

39.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.78 LKR 595

-22.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.55 LKR 184

236.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.81 LKR 271

98.77%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.13 LKR 710

21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$13.91 LKR 4,639

-40.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.75 LKR 1,586

76.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.84 LKR 2,617

35.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$7.37 LKR 2,460

-64.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.06 LKR 354

40.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$5.95 LKR 1,986

-67.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.26 LKR 421

65.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.12 LKR 373

66.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.37 LKR 456

64.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.19 LKR 398

-10.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.60 LKR 200

81.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$10.03 LKR 3,347

-58.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$12.45 LKR 4,153

-16.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.02 LKR 674

-14.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.87 LKR 958

-9.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.38 LKR 128

723.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.35 LKR 117

617.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$0.62 LKR 206

408.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.24 LKR 414

2.42%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$27.3K LKR 9.1M

11.29%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$34.4K LKR 11.5M

-31.42%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$59.4 LKR 19.8K

39.73%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$4.32 LKR 1,441

425.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$15.32 LKR 5,111

92.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.26 LKR 1,087

51.23%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$37.24 LKR 12.4K

429.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$439 LKR 146.4K

1102.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$28.08 LKR 9,365

31.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$19.71 LKR 6,574

102.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$69.2 LKR 23.1K

15.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$39.11 LKR 13.0K

128.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$149 LKR 49.8K

346.60%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Beruwala: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 347% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $25.00 in Beruwala. Groceries flip the comparison at $250 vs $256, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 138% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 347% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $533 in Beruwala – a 138% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $533 in Beruwala versus $1,271 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 138% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.