Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $527 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $866 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,205 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 146% more than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.96 LKR 1,320

196.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$25.56 LKR 8,524

62.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.23 LKR 2,746

29.28%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.67 LKR 891

31.84%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.68 LKR 228

122.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.35 LKR 115

177.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.31 LKR 771

27.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.42 LKR 1,142

30.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.73 LKR 577

-20.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.56 LKR 186

237.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.82 LKR 273

100.00%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.11 LKR 704

18.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$13.99 LKR 4,665

-40.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.78 LKR 1,594

74.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.22 LKR 2,740

30.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$7.68 LKR 2,562

-66.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.06 LKR 353

37.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$5.65 LKR 1,883

-66.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.25 LKR 418

66.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.10 LKR 368

61.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.36 LKR 454

61.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.19 LKR 396

-12.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.56 LKR 188

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$9.97 LKR 3,327

-59.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$12.95 LKR 4,319

-20.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.07 LKR 690

-17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.89 LKR 963

-10.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.41 LKR 137

695.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.33 LKR 109

654.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$0.60 LKR 201

441.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.25 LKR 416

4.80%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

12.49%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$35.4K LKR 11.8M

-33.90%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$60.7 LKR 20.2K

36.50%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$4.24 LKR 1,413

424.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$14.98 LKR 4,997

95.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$3.28 LKR 1,094

54.57%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$36.26 LKR 12.1K

453.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$433 LKR 144.4K

1103.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$27.93 LKR 9,315

32.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$19.54 LKR 6,517

103.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$69.0 LKR 23.0K

13.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$38.15 LKR 12.7K

128.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$212 LKR 70.8K

212.95%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 213% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $258 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia – 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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 146% more than Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $791 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $26.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, where all-in costs run around $527, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 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. Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia costs $527 versus $1,297 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 Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. 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.