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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $529 in Beruwala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $853 in Beruwala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,177 in Beruwala.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 143% more expensive than Beruwala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Beruwala 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.98 LKR 1,270

200.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$25.01 LKR 7,975

70.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.52 LKR 2,718

24.30%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.71 LKR 865

33.58%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.68 LKR 216

116.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.38 LKR 120

147.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.40 LKR 767

28.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.33 LKR 1,061

33.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.76 LKR 561

-18.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.52 LKR 167

261.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.81 LKR 259

101.23%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.21 LKR 705

19.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$14.12 LKR 4,504

-41.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.56 LKR 1,454

81.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.96 LKR 2,540

39.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$7.66 LKR 2,444

-65.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.06 LKR 340

41.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$5.75 LKR 1,834

-65.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.26 LKR 401

65.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.12 LKR 356

59.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.35 LKR 430

61.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.14 LKR 362

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.57 LKR 181

82.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$9.98 LKR 3,181

-60.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$12.49 LKR 3,984

-18.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.11 LKR 673

-18.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.93 LKR 934

-14.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.39 LKR 124

705.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.33 LKR 105

627.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$0.58 LKR 184

432.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.20 LKR 382

5.83%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$26.5K LKR 8.4M

16.67%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$34.1K LKR 10.9M

-31.71%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$60.2 LKR 19.2K

36.18%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$4.22 LKR 1,346

431.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$15.17 LKR 4,839

95.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.33 LKR 1,062

49.25%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$36.65 LKR 11.7K

439.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$447 LKR 142.5K

1080.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$27.45 LKR 8,755

32.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$19.12 LKR 6,099

109.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$70.0 LKR 22.3K

14.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$39.47 LKR 12.6K

125.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$155 LKR 49.5K

363.82%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Beruwala: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 364% 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 $251 vs $257, 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 143% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 364% 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 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $529 in Beruwala – a 143% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $529 in Beruwala versus $1,287 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 143% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.