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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $585 in Matara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $915 in Matara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,245 in Matara, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 115% 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 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$2.44 LKR 819

380.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$25.31 LKR 8,481

65.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$8.42 LKR 2,823

24.82%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.76 LKR 926

30.07%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.72 LKR 243

109.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.37 LKR 125

148.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$2.33 LKR 779

27.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$3.44 LKR 1,152

28.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.70 LKR 571

-17.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.52 LKR 175

261.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$0.81 LKR 273

92.59%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.20 LKR 737

18.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$14.25 LKR 4,773

-41.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$4.77 LKR 1,600

75.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$7.87 LKR 2,639

37.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$7.39 LKR 2,477

-63.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$0.55 LKR 185

174.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$5.90 LKR 1,978

-68.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$0.70 LKR 233

212.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$0.86 LKR 289

116.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$0.53 LKR 176

320.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.15 LKR 384

-6.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.60 LKR 202

81.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$9.97 LKR 3,339

-57.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$12.83 LKR 4,300

-18.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$2.08 LKR 697

-20.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.99 LKR 1,001

-12.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.18 LKR 61.3

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.42 LKR 139

633.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.36 LKR 119

566.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$0.56 LKR 188

458.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.22 LKR 408

7.38%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

12.00%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$34.5K LKR 11.6M

-32.36%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$25.15 LKR 8,426

223.18%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$4.23 LKR 1,417

433.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$5.10 LKR 1,710

489.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$3.31 LKR 1,107

48.64%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$37.49 LKR 12.6K

435.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$438 LKR 146.7K

1081.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$28.09 LKR 9,411

27.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$19.49 LKR 6,531

105.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$68.6 LKR 23.0K

16.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$38.16 LKR 12.8K

126.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$166 LKR 55.7K

488.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$117 LKR 39.3K

301.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$498 LKR 166.8K

231.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$166 LKR 55.8K

622.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$102 LKR 34.3K

560.58%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Matara: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $166 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 561% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Matara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $249 – 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 115%, 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 $878 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 $1,260 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $37.49 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 $1,260. 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.