Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Gampaha Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Gampaha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $497 in Gampaha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $872 in Gampaha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,247 in Gampaha.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 153% more expensive than in Gampaha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Gampaha 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$1.72 LKR 577

597.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$25.50 LKR 8,569

63.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$5.05 LKR 1,697

112.87%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.13 LKR 715

64.32%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.69 LKR 231

110.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.38 LKR 127

131.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.21 LKR 743

33.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$1.64 LKR 552

175.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.78 LKR 597

-19.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.52 LKR 176

253.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.73 LKR 244

115.07%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.21 LKR 741

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$14.34 LKR 4,819

-42.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.38 LKR 1,470

92.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$7.94 LKR 2,667

34.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$6.63 LKR 2,226

-60.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.07 LKR 359

34.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$5.74 LKR 1,929

-65.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.25 LKR 421

67.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.07 LKR 358

72.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.38 LKR 464

57.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.31 LKR 105

232.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.36 LKR 120

197.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$10.14 LKR 3,407

-59.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$12.48 LKR 4,193

-18.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.54 LKR 517

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.64 LKR 889

-4.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.34 LKR 115

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.32 LKR 106

909.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.35 LKR 118

588.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$0.58 LKR 195

456.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.26 LKR 425

4.76%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$26.9K LKR 9.0M

10.44%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$34.7K LKR 11.7M

-31.79%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$30.47 LKR 10.2K

169.15%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$3.31 LKR 1,111

593.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$12.24 LKR 4,112

146.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$8.51 LKR 2,861

510.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.40 LKR 1,144

46.47%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$16.81 LKR 5,649

1074.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$137 LKR 45.9K

3807.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$27.31 LKR 9,176

30.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$9.88 LKR 3,322

308.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$67.0 LKR 22.5K

17.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$26.60 LKR 8,939

234.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$98.9 LKR 33.2K

857.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$62.9 LKR 21.2K

653.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$333 LKR 112.1K

392.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$186 LKR 62.4K

552.01%

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

$219 LKR 73.5K

198.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.20%

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 Gampaha: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $98.9 in Gampaha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 199% 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: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $26.00 in Gampaha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $242 per month, with Gampaha 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 Gampaha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Gampaha differ by about 153% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $497 including rent). Gampaha is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 199% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $98.9 in Gampaha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $16.81 in Gampaha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Gampaha – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $497 in Gampaha versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gampaha but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Gampaha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Gampaha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 153% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.