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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $518 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $856 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,194 in Kataragama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 149% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kataragama are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Kataragama 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.97 LKR 1,266

200.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$25.22 LKR 8,043

69.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.58 LKR 2,735

23.43%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.64 LKR 841

37.12%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.69 LKR 219

113.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.37 LKR 119

154.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.38 LKR 758

29.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.45 LKR 1,100

29.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.69 LKR 539

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.52 LKR 165

261.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.83 LKR 264

96.39%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.15 LKR 685

22.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$14.04 LKR 4,477

-41.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.55 LKR 1,452

82.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$8.06 LKR 2,571

37.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$7.64 LKR 2,436

-65.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.06 LKR 339

41.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$5.74 LKR 1,832

-65.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.21 LKR 387

71.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.11 LKR 353

61.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.36 LKR 434

60.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.19 LKR 380

-9.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.56 LKR 178

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$10.24 LKR 3,266

-61.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$12.61 LKR 4,023

-19.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.06 LKR 657

-16.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.84 LKR 907

-11.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.42 LKR 133

647.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.33 LKR 105

627.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$0.57 LKR 181

442.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.21 LKR 387

4.96%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$26.8K LKR 8.5M

15.31%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$34.8K LKR 11.1M

-33.01%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$61.0 LKR 19.4K

34.55%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$4.44 LKR 1,414

405.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$14.86 LKR 4,738

99.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.31 LKR 1,057

50.15%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$36.74 LKR 11.7K

438.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$444 LKR 141.7K

1086.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$27.64 LKR 8,813

31.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$19.74 LKR 6,295

102.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$68.6 LKR 21.9K

16.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$38.91 LKR 12.4K

128.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Kataragama. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $255 in Kataragama – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kataragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 149% more than Kataragama, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $776 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $518 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $36.74 in Kataragama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kataragama, where all-in costs run around $518, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Kataragama 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. Kataragama costs $518 versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Kataragama. 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.