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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $473 in Maharagama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $789 in Maharagama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,105 in Maharagama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 167% more than Maharagama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Maharagama are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Maharagama 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.92 LKR 644

-27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.49 LKR 164

283.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.73 LKR 246

113.70%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.07 LKR 694

26.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$16.11 LKR 5,405

-48.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$5.95 LKR 1,995

40.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$10.91 LKR 3,661

-0.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$11.62 LKR 3,898

-76.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.25 LKR 419

20.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$10.10 LKR 3,389

-81.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.83 LKR 613

19.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.19 LKR 400

56.30%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.21 LKR 407

84.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.61 LKR 541

-33.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.62 LKR 208

75.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$9.84 LKR 3,303

-57.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.06 LKR 691

-19.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.25 LKR 1,090

-19.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$3.44 LKR 1,154

660.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.34 LKR 115

805.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.31 LKR 105

674.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.43 LKR 478

-8.39%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$53.5 LKR 18.0K

51.93%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$3.28 LKR 1,101

587.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$12.46 LKR 4,182

141.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$13.51 LKR 4,534

291.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.09 LKR 1,706

-3.34%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$68.3 LKR 22.9K

194.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$500 LKR 167.8K

934.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$24.80 LKR 8,321

44.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$13.30 LKR 4,464

201.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$56.2 LKR 18.9K

41.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$58.1 LKR 19.5K

48.79%

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

$165 LKR 55.5K

898.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$115 LKR 38.6K

947.39%

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

-32.82%

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 Maharagama: July 27, 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 167%, 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 $1,890 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 660% 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 $473, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.