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: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $499 in Beruwala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Playa del Carmen versus $821 in Beruwala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,341 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,143 in Beruwala.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 166% more expensive than in Beruwala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Beruwala 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$4.20 LKR 1,387

210.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$25.75 LKR 8,494

79.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$7.65 LKR 2,525

64.58%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.39 LKR 788

67.36%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.69 LKR 228

105.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.25 LKR 81.8

224.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$2.17 LKR 716

40.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$3.04 LKR 1,004

124.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.59 LKR 526

7.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$0.47 LKR 154

372.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.75 LKR 247

129.33%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.53 LKR 504

77.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$12.74 LKR 4,203

-26.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$4.87 LKR 1,607

81.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$6.89 LKR 2,272

85.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$6.78 LKR 2,236

-53.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$0.84 LKR 277

84.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$4.56 LKR 1,504

-52.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$1.23 LKR 404

91.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.94 LKR 309

114.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.73 LKR 241

172.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.93 LKR 308

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.45 LKR 148

164.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$10.11 LKR 3,334

-54.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$13.21 LKR 4,358

-20.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.86 LKR 614

-15.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$2.55 LKR 842

14.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$0.41 LKR 135

1197.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.34 LKR 113

994.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$0.92 LKR 303

528.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.24 LKR 408

25.00%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$29.6K LKR 9.8M

-24.43%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$39.1K LKR 12.9M

-34.67%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$51.3 LKR 16.9K

73.90%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$4.15 LKR 1,368

461.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$20.72 LKR 6,834

53.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$4.26 LKR 1,404

18.78%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$37.25 LKR 12.3K

496.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$1,194 LKR 393.9K

259.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$19.84 LKR 6,545

132.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$16.66 LKR 5,496

166.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$81.2 LKR 26.8K

17.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$41.37 LKR 13.6K

123.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$151 LKR 49.7K

396.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

12.69

-8.59%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Beruwala: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 396% 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: $46.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $26.00 in Beruwala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $230 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, Getting Around. The 166% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 396% 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 20% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $499 in Beruwala – a 166% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $499 in Beruwala versus $1,330 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 166% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.