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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $532 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $853 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,174 in Kataragama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 137% more than Kataragama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Kataragama are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Kataragama 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.98 LKR 1,335

194.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$24.92 LKR 8,361

68.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.13 LKR 2,728

29.27%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.72 LKR 912

31.99%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.72 LKR 243

109.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.41 LKR 136

124.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.27 LKR 762

30.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.44 LKR 1,155

28.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.70 LKR 571

-17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.56 LKR 186

235.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.82 LKR 274

90.24%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.14 LKR 719

21.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$13.91 LKR 4,667

-40.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.61 LKR 1,547

81.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.91 LKR 2,655

37.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$7.56 LKR 2,537

-64.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.07 LKR 358

41.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$5.76 LKR 1,934

-67.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.24 LKR 417

76.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.12 LKR 374

66.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.36 LKR 457

63.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.15 LKR 387

-6.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.59 LKR 198

84.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$9.97 LKR 3,344

-57.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.70 LKR 4,261

-17.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.03 LKR 682

-18.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.86 LKR 961

-8.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.39 LKR 130

689.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.33 LKR 110

627.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$0.57 LKR 190

449.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.25 LKR 420

4.80%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.4K LKR 8.9M

12.72%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$34.3K LKR 11.5M

-31.91%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$61.2 LKR 20.5K

32.83%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$4.29 LKR 1,440

425.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$15.36 LKR 5,155

95.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.28 LKR 1,101

50.00%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$36.58 LKR 12.3K

448.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$448 LKR 150.5K

1053.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$27.70 LKR 9,295

29.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$19.53 LKR 6,552

105.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$69.2 LKR 23.2K

15.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$38.10 LKR 12.8K

126.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Kataragama. Groceries tell a different story – $252 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 137% 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $798 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $532 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $36.58 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 $532, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $532 versus $1,260 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.