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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $536 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $861 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,186 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 134% 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 6% lower, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$3.96 LKR 1,331

202.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$25.34 LKR 8,516

64.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.43 LKR 2,832

27.52%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.75 LKR 925

27.27%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.73 LKR 247

98.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.34 LKR 116

158.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.27 LKR 763

29.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.28 LKR 1,103

37.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.69 LKR 568

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.56 LKR 189

228.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.80 LKR 269

96.25%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.23 LKR 751

12.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$14.36 LKR 4,825

-42.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.58 LKR 1,539

84.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.94 LKR 2,668

34.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$7.31 LKR 2,458

-64.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.07 LKR 358

34.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$5.92 LKR 1,988

-66.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.22 LKR 408

71.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.16 LKR 389

59.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.35 LKR 453

60.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.20 LKR 403

-14.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.61 LKR 204

75.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$10.03 LKR 3,372

-59.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$12.57 LKR 4,223

-19.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.09 LKR 703

-19.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.87 LKR 966

-11.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.42 LKR 140

669.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.35 LKR 119

588.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$0.61 LKR 204

429.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.20 LKR 402

10.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$26.7K LKR 9.0M

11.28%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

-32.71%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$60.4 LKR 20.3K

35.78%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$4.25 LKR 1,429

440.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$15.26 LKR 5,129

97.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.31 LKR 1,113

50.45%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$36.35 LKR 12.2K

443.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$449 LKR 151.0K

1087.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$27.77 LKR 9,332

28.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$19.33 LKR 6,495

108.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$69.3 LKR 23.3K

13.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$39.17 LKR 13.2K

127.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$204 LKR 68.6K

220.14%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 220% 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 $25.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $257 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 134% 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $804 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 $25.00 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 3% 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 $536, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $536 versus $1,256 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.