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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $583 in Matara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $928 in Matara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,272 in Matara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 118% more than Matara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Matara are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Matara 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$2.47 LKR 825

380.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$24.67 LKR 8,231

73.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.45 LKR 2,817

26.04%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$2.77 LKR 923

24.55%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.69 LKR 232

117.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.38 LKR 125

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.38 LKR 794

27.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.31 LKR 1,104

39.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.73 LKR 577

-20.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.55 LKR 185

236.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$0.86 LKR 287

87.21%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.13 LKR 711

21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$14.00 LKR 4,670

-41.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.55 LKR 1,517

83.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$7.88 LKR 2,628

35.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$7.65 LKR 2,553

-65.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.53 LKR 176

181.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$5.88 LKR 1,962

-67.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.65 LKR 217

221.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.83 LKR 276

124.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.49 LKR 162

361.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.15 LKR 384

-7.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.57 LKR 190

91.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$10.01 LKR 3,340

-58.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$12.85 LKR 4,286

-19.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.10 LKR 702

-18.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.87 LKR 959

-9.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.16 LKR 54.7

237.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.39 LKR 130

702.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.33 LKR 109

660.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$0.57 LKR 191

452.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.21 LKR 402

4.96%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$26.8K LKR 8.9M

13.39%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$35.0K LKR 11.7M

-32.74%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$25.92 LKR 8,645

220.22%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$4.26 LKR 1,423

433.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$5.11 LKR 1,706

476.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$3.43 LKR 1,144

43.73%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$37.26 LKR 12.4K

429.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$445 LKR 148.3K

1087.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$27.74 LKR 9,252

33.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$19.47 LKR 6,494

104.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$70.2 LKR 23.4K

14.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$38.21 LKR 12.7K

134.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$167 LKR 55.7K

472.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$119 LKR 39.5K

302.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$494 LKR 164.7K

233.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$169 LKR 56.5K

623.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$106 LKR 35.2K

531.50%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Matara: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $167 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 531% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Matara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $248 – 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 118%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $875 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $583 in Matara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $37.26 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 $583, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.