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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $585 in Matara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $932 in Matara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,279 in Matara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 116% more than Matara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Matara are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Matara 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$2.53 LKR 801

361.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$25.56 LKR 8,090

63.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$8.26 LKR 2,615

25.91%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.74 LKR 867

31.75%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.68 LKR 214

116.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.37 LKR 118

145.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.36 LKR 747

28.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$3.28 LKR 1,039

36.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.74 LKR 552

-20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.55 LKR 175

234.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$0.87 LKR 274

85.06%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.15 LKR 681

19.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$13.88 LKR 4,392

-38.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.71 LKR 1,491

80.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$7.86 LKR 2,489

39.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$7.27 LKR 2,302

-62.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$0.52 LKR 164

188.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$5.65 LKR 1,789

-65.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$0.64 LKR 203

231.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.82 LKR 258

126.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.53 LKR 166

309.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.19 LKR 377

-10.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.56 LKR 178

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$10.18 LKR 3,223

-58.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$12.68 LKR 4,014

-18.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$2.07 LKR 656

-19.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.94 LKR 931

-15.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.17 LKR 53.1

217.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.42 LKR 132

638.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.35 LKR 111

602.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$0.58 LKR 183

458.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.19 LKR 378

5.88%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$26.9K LKR 8.5M

12.12%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$34.5K LKR 10.9M

-32.06%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$25.87 LKR 8,189

224.66%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$4.31 LKR 1,365

415.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$5.04 LKR 1,595

488.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$3.45 LKR 1,090

43.48%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$37.03 LKR 11.7K

435.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$436 LKR 137.9K

1121.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$27.27 LKR 8,632

31.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$19.24 LKR 6,089

108.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$68.5 LKR 21.7K

15.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$39.22 LKR 12.4K

120.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$169 LKR 53.5K

478.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$118 LKR 37.4K

298.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$499 LKR 158.1K

219.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$169 LKR 53.4K

619.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$95.2 LKR 30.1K

650.34%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Matara: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $169 in Matara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 650% 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 $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $26 in Matara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $246 – making Matara 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 Matara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 116%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $877 in Matara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Matara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $585 in Matara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $37.03 in Matara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Matara, where all-in costs run around $585, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Matara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Matara – 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 Matara. 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.