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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $587 in Hikkaduwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,120 in Hikkaduwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,653 in Hikkaduwa.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 116% more expensive than Hikkaduwa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Hikkaduwa 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.93 LKR 1,311

202.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$24.89 LKR 8,302

72.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.56 LKR 2,855

24.42%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.64 LKR 879

30.68%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.72 LKR 242

108.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.34 LKR 114

179.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.31 LKR 769

31.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.31 LKR 1,103

39.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.75 LKR 582

-21.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.53 LKR 176

249.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.81 LKR 270

98.77%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.21 LKR 737

17.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$14.05 LKR 4,688

-41.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.56 LKR 1,522

83.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.92 LKR 2,641

34.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$7.50 LKR 2,501

-64.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.34 LKR 114

338.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.61 LKR 870

-26.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.98 LKR 327

113.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.11 LKR 371

67.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.36 LKR 120

527.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.15 LKR 385

-7.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.56 LKR 188

94.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$9.94 LKR 3,314

-58.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$12.77 LKR 4,259

-18.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.02 LKR 674

-14.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.84 LKR 949

-8.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.32 LKR 106

68.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.38 LKR 127

723.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.33 LKR 109

660.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$0.61 LKR 204

416.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.21 LKR 404

4.96%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$26.5K LKR 8.8M

14.54%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$35.2K LKR 11.8M

-33.11%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$59.7 LKR 19.9K

39.03%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$4.34 LKR 1,449

423.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$15.42 LKR 5,144

91.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.27 LKR 1,091

50.76%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$36.65 LKR 12.2K

438.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$444 LKR 148.3K

1087.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$27.54 LKR 9,185

33.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$19.60 LKR 6,537

103.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$68.8 LKR 22.9K

16.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$39.26 LKR 13.1K

127.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$167 LKR 55.8K

471.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$84.8 LKR 28.3K

462.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,685 LKR 561.9K

-2.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$509 LKR 169.7K

140.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Hikkaduwa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $167 in Hikkaduwa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $25.00 in Hikkaduwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $235 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $881 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $167 in Hikkaduwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $587 in Hikkaduwa – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $587 in Hikkaduwa versus $1,271 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 116% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.