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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $483 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $784 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,086 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 168% 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 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$1.53 LKR 503

665.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$786

$24.46 LKR 8,025

90.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$7.76 LKR 2,547

50.13%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$2.40 LKR 788

70.42%

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

$1.37 MX$23.20

$0.68 LKR 222

101.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.07

$0.25 LKR 82.0

232.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$2.26 LKR 742

48.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$3.12 LKR 1,024

121.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.15

$1.61 LKR 529

7.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.15

$0.57 LKR 187

296.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.86

$0.76 LKR 249

132.89%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.12

$1.65 LKR 543

65.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$13.35 LKR 4,380

-31.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$5.08 LKR 1,668

75.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$7.39 LKR 2,423

70.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$6.91 LKR 2,268

-56.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.51

$0.83 LKR 273

89.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.88

$4.43 LKR 1,453

-51.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.22

$1.25 LKR 410

80.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.82

$1.01 LKR 331

98.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.85

$0.76 LKR 251

171.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.91

$0.95 LKR 313

24.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$0.48 LKR 158

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.2

$10.43 LKR 3,422

-55.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$13.55 LKR 4,447

-21.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.33

$1.91 LKR 625

-15.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.63

$2.80 LKR 917

2.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$91.9

$0.41 LKR 135

1229.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.5

$0.37 LKR 123

900.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$0.89 LKR 291

571.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$1.32 LKR 434

17.42%

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

$22.3K MX$376.8K

$30.1K LKR 9.9M

-25.83%

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

$25.9K MX$438.0K

$42.0K LKR 13.8M

-38.22%

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

$89.1 MX$1,504

$53.1 LKR 17.4K

67.95%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$4.18 LKR 1,371

499.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$20.62 LKR 6,765

52.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.2

$4.51 LKR 1,479

11.97%

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

$225 MX$3,797

$38.47 LKR 12.6K

484.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$1,218 LKR 399.6K

246.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$20.38 LKR 6,688

132.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$16.64 LKR 5,458

170.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$79.9 LKR 26.2K

2.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$42.65 LKR 14.0K

115.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$456 LKR 149.5K

324.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$213 LKR 70.0K

250.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

12.69

-9.77%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

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

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 251% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $24.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $239 – making Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 168% 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $725 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $24.00 in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, where all-in costs run around $483, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $483 versus $1,293 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.