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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $551 in Kandy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $852 in Kandy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,152 in Kandy.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 133% more expensive than Kandy, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Kandy 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$2.79 LKR 889

327.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$11.56 LKR 3,686

269.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.57 LKR 2,096

61.19%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.65 LKR 844

36.60%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.61 LKR 194

140.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.30 LKR 95.5

213.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.21 LKR 706

39.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.37 LKR 1,074

32.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.39 LKR 443

2.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.51 LKR 164

268.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.80 LKR 256

103.75%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.08 LKR 663

26.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$8.81 LKR 2,809

-6.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.77 LKR 1,520

73.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$7.91 LKR 2,522

40.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$4.53 LKR 1,446

-41.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.01 LKR 322

48.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$3.61 LKR 1,150

-44.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.26 LKR 402

65.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.15 LKR 367

55.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.30 LKR 413

67.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.73 LKR 234

47.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.60 LKR 190

73.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$9.29 LKR 2,963

-57.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$12.02 LKR 3,834

-15.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.08 LKR 662

-16.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.84 LKR 906

-11.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.18 LKR 58.1

188.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$14.94 LKR 4,764

80.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.42 LKR 133

647.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.35 LKR 112

585.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$0.40 LKR 129

672.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.25 LKR 398

1.60%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$17.9K LKR 5.7M

72.18%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$21.3K LKR 6.8M

9.57%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$41.35 LKR 13.2K

98.33%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$4.35 LKR 1,386

416.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$15.39 LKR 4,907

92.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$15.33 LKR 4,888

238.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$5.54 LKR 1,768

237.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.43 LKR 1,094

44.90%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$36.66 LKR 11.7K

439.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$326 LKR 104.1K

1515.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$27.70 LKR 8,834

31.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$14.35 LKR 4,577

179.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$55.9 LKR 17.8K

42.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$29.75 LKR 9,488

198.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$132 LKR 42.2K

628.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$83.6 LKR 26.7K

455.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$215 LKR 68.5K

642.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$164 LKR 52.2K

638.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$428 LKR 136.5K

820.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$416 LKR 132.8K

1448.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$269 LKR 85.8K

167.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-23.87%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kandy: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $132 in Kandy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 168% 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: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Kandy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $210 per month, with Kandy 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 Kandy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kandy is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 133% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Playa del Carmen pays 168% more on average, 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $132 in Kandy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $551 in Kandy – a 133% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kandy runs roughly 81% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $551 in Kandy versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kandy but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Kandy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kandy 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Kandy are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kandy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.