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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $598 in Matara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $867 in Matara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,136 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

$11.96 MX$203

$4.32 LKR 1,421

176.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$26.06 LKR 8,564

81.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.79 LKR 2,560

50.83%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.48 LKR 816

66.13%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.69 LKR 227

102.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.27 LKR 89.1

237.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.28 LKR 748

40.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.09 LKR 1,015

128.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.56 LKR 514

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.52 LKR 172

313.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.79 LKR 260

124.05%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.46 LKR 480

93.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$13.18 LKR 4,331

-30.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.20 LKR 1,708

77.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.26 LKR 2,384

74.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$6.95 LKR 2,285

-57.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.44 LKR 144

259.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$4.30 LKR 1,413

-48.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.86 LKR 283

174.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.98 LKR 321

103.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.62 LKR 204

219.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.91 LKR 299

36.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.45 LKR 149

168.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$9.70 LKR 3,186

-52.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$13.99 LKR 4,597

-24.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.80 LKR 591

-6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.93 LKR 962

-5.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.29 LKR 94.8

106.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.38 LKR 126

1278.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.36 LKR 117

913.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$0.87 LKR 285

564.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.28 LKR 419

20.31%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$30.4K LKR 10.0M

-25.03%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$42.1K LKR 13.8M

-38.73%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$45.58 LKR 15.0K

98.92%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$4.12 LKR 1,355

511.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$21.35 LKR 7,016

48.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.47 LKR 1,469

8.72%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$38.10 LKR 12.5K

492.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$1,210 LKR 397.5K

246.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$20.00 LKR 6,571

136.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$17.05 LKR 5,602

154.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$79.5 LKR 26.1K

0.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$42.56 LKR 14.0K

114.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$180 LKR 59.3K

502.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$92.6 LKR 30.4K

341.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$105 LKR 34.4K

638.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

12.69

-9.77%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Matara: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $180 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 639% 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 $26.00 in Matara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $232 – 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $898 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $598 in Matara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $38.10 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 $598, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.