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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $520 in Kataragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $868 in Kataragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,217 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 3% lower, Kataragama 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$3.92 LKR 1,305

199.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$25.61 LKR 8,528

63.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$8.55 LKR 2,848

21.75%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.76 LKR 921

30.80%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.69 LKR 230

111.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.38 LKR 126

155.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.35 LKR 783

24.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$3.37 LKR 1,123

37.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.70 LKR 568

-15.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.55 LKR 184

245.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$0.88 LKR 293

78.41%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.19 LKR 728

20.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$14.22 LKR 4,736

-40.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$4.56 LKR 1,520

88.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$8.24 LKR 2,744

33.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$7.55 LKR 2,513

-64.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.06 LKR 352

42.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$5.91 LKR 1,967

-67.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.21 LKR 403

79.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.15 LKR 382

62.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.37 LKR 456

62.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.20 LKR 399

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.61 LKR 202

75.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$10.00 LKR 3,329

-58.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$12.95 LKR 4,313

-20.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.99 LKR 663

-15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.87 LKR 956

-11.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.42 LKR 139

661.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.33 LKR 109

645.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.60 LKR 200

433.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.21 LKR 404

9.09%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

10.78%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-33.23%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$60.1 LKR 20.0K

35.29%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$4.44 LKR 1,478

404.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$14.89 LKR 4,959

101.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$3.37 LKR 1,122

53.12%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$37.55 LKR 12.5K

437.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$448 LKR 149.1K

1085.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$27.93 LKR 9,301

27.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$19.12 LKR 6,366

111.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$70.3 LKR 23.4K

11.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$38.17 LKR 12.7K

127.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Kataragama: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Kataragama. Groceries tell a different story – $254 in Playa del Carmen vs $259 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $780 in Kataragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $520 in Kataragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $37.55 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 $520, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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 $520 versus $1,294 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.