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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $506 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Playa del Carmen versus $824 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,341 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,143 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 163% more expensive than in Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Hikkaduwa 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$4.36 LKR 1,438

198.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$25.28 LKR 8,341

82.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$7.51 LKR 2,479

67.64%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.36 LKR 779

69.49%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.67 LKR 222

111.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.25 LKR 81.8

224.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$2.25 LKR 744

35.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$2.90 LKR 958

135.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.60 LKR 527

6.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$0.51 LKR 169

335.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.74 LKR 246

132.43%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.53 LKR 506

77.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$12.98 LKR 4,283

-27.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$4.75 LKR 1,567

86.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$7.19 LKR 2,373

77.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$6.65 LKR 2,192

-52.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$0.84 LKR 277

84.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$4.60 LKR 1,517

-53.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$1.22 LKR 402

92.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.94 LKR 309

114.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.73 LKR 242

172.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.92 LKR 302

34.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.47 LKR 156

153.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$10.00 LKR 3,298

-53.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$13.17 LKR 4,344

-20.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.86 LKR 614

-15.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$2.65 LKR 875

10.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$0.38 LKR 125

1300.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.35 LKR 115

962.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$0.90 LKR 297

542.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$1.26 LKR 415

23.02%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$30.3K LKR 10.0M

-26.08%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$38.6K LKR 12.7M

-33.68%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$51.8 LKR 17.1K

72.36%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$4.13 LKR 1,363

464.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$20.46 LKR 6,750

55.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$4.11 LKR 1,354

23.11%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$37.49 LKR 12.4K

492.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$1,209 LKR 398.7K

255.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$19.71 LKR 6,503

134.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$16.12 LKR 5,319

175.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$80.3 LKR 26.5K

18.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$42.58 LKR 14.0K

117.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

12.69

-8.59%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $25.00 in Hikkaduwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $232 per month, with Hikkaduwa 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 Hikkaduwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hikkaduwa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 163% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,995 in Playa del Carmen and $759 in Hikkaduwa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $506 in Hikkaduwa – a 163% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $506 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Hikkaduwa but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Hikkaduwa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Hikkaduwa 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.

Expats usually find Hikkaduwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.