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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $514 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $840 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,167 in Kataragama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 146% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kataragama are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Kataragama 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.33 LKR 1,431

167.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$25.82 LKR 8,537

82.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.48 LKR 2,475

58.82%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.54 LKR 841

56.69%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.73 LKR 241

95.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.27 LKR 89.8

203.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$2.19 LKR 724

45.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.03 LKR 1,001

124.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.57 LKR 519

7.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.57 LKR 188

285.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.79 LKR 261

116.46%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.60 LKR 530

71.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$13.41 LKR 4,435

-28.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.12 LKR 1,694

75.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.24 LKR 2,395

76.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$6.97 LKR 2,306

-58.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$0.90 LKR 297

66.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$4.20 LKR 1,388

-48.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.24 LKR 410

82.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.02 LKR 337

94.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.76 LKR 253

161.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.90 LKR 297

36.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.49 LKR 161

144.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$10.45 LKR 3,455

-56.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.91 LKR 4,598

-25.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.90 LKR 628

-14.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.80 LKR 925

2.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.42 LKR 138

1183.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.38 LKR 127

881.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$0.92 LKR 306

527.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.32 LKR 438

16.67%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$30.8K LKR 10.2M

-26.90%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$42.4K LKR 14.0M

-38.53%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$56.3 LKR 18.6K

62.34%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$4.22 LKR 1,394

497.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$21.22 LKR 7,016

47.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$4.41 LKR 1,457

10.20%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$38.81 LKR 12.8K

476.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$1,230 LKR 406.8K

243.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$20.01 LKR 6,616

135.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$16.47 LKR 5,447

168.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$79.0 LKR 26.1K

1.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$43.14 LKR 14.3K

114.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

12.69

-9.77%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Kataragama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $239 – making Kataragama the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 146% 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $771 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $514 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $38.81 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 $514, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $514 versus $1,266 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.