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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $132 in Maharagama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $246 in Maharagama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $360 in Maharagama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 861% more than Maharagama, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Maharagama are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Maharagama 90% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$5.20 LKR 1,719

123.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$20.09 LKR 6,642

134.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.02 LKR 2,321

69.23%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.13 LKR 705

86.85%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.61 LKR 201

134.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.29 LKR 94.3

182.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$0.90 LKR 297

86.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.25 LKR 82.7

780.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.51 LKR 168

235.29%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.44 LKR 476

90.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

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

$0.45 LKR 148

1097.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.48 LKR 159

677.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

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

$25.20 MX$434

$4.69 LKR 1,549

437.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$13.87 LKR 4,587

125.23%

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

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

$224 MX$3,851

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

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

$200 LKR 66.1K

975.27%

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

$248 LKR 81.9K

206.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Maharagama: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 206% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $20.00 in Maharagama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $19.00 – making Maharagama 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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 861%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $198 in Maharagama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 1332% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $20.00 in Maharagama. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maharagama, where all-in costs run around $132, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.