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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $472 in Maharagama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $789 in Maharagama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,106 in Maharagama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 172% more than Maharagama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Maharagama are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Maharagama 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.95 LKR 621

-26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.51 LKR 163

268.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$0.76 LKR 243

114.47%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$2.11 LKR 672

25.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$16.26 LKR 5,181

-49.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$5.78 LKR 1,841

43.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$10.74 LKR 3,422

3.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$11.49 LKR 3,661

-76.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.23 LKR 392

21.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$10.00 LKR 3,185

-80.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.85 LKR 591

12.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.16 LKR 368

54.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.16 LKR 370

87.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.63 LKR 518

-33.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.61 LKR 193

70.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$9.78 LKR 3,115

-59.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.99 LKR 634

-13.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$3.24 LKR 1,032

-22.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$3.30 LKR 1,050

717.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.32 LKR 101

881.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.31 LKR 99.4

674.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.37 LKR 438

-7.30%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$53.7 LKR 17.1K

52.75%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$3.44 LKR 1,096

552.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$12.68 LKR 4,041

133.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$13.44 LKR 4,284

285.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$5.09 LKR 1,621

-2.36%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$68.0 LKR 21.7K

190.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$510 LKR 162.5K

933.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$24.77 LKR 7,891

46.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$13.55 LKR 4,318

195.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$54.8 LKR 17.4K

45.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$58.3 LKR 18.6K

52.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$165 LKR 52.5K

868.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$116 LKR 36.9K

943.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-32.82%

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 Maharagama: April 26, 2026

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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 172%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $709 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 717% less in Maharagama. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $472, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Maharagama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maharagama – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Maharagama. 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.