Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Moratuwa

For one person, living is cheaper in Moratuwa: $131 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Moratuwa
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
$131
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Moratuwa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Moratuwa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $131 in Moratuwa, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Moratuwa $131

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $211 in Moratuwa, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,082
  • Moratuwa $211

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $291 in Moratuwa, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,959
  • Moratuwa $291

Playa del Carmen costs about 817% more than Moratuwa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Playa del Carmen and Moratuwa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Moratuwa 90% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Moratuwa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.92 MX$204
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.37 MX$808
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.78 MX$220
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.81 MX$71.0
$1.84 LKR 611
107.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 MX$23.90
$0.71 LKR 234
80.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 MX$14.59
$0.15 LKR 49.28
420.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.17 MX$59.0
$1.85 LKR 616
71.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.93 MX$92.0
$2.46 LKR 816
100.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Moratuwa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 MX$26.22
$1.25 LKR 417
12.80%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$41.33
$0.46 LKR 154
382.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.42 MX$26.42
$0.82 LKR 272
73.17%
Eggs
$2.52 MX$47.03
$2.36 LKR 785
6.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.26 MX$135
$12.27 LKR 4,078
-40.83%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.70 MX$143
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.69 MX$237
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.9
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.37 MX$25.50
$0.46 LKR 154
197.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.55 MX$47.55
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 MX$39.58
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.13
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.16
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 MX$21.37
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.18 MX$21.98
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.30 MX$80.1
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$9.95 MX$185
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 MX$29.52
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 MX$49.79
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Moratuwa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$10.31
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.62 MX$496
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.97 MX$92.6
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.33 MX$62.1
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.36 MX$99.8
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.44 MX$26.92
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.7K MX$385.2K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5K MX$437.4K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Moratuwa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.8 MX$1,581
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.41 MX$436
$4.44 LKR 1,475
427.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.66 MX$534
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Moratuwa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$57.1 MX$1,063
$15.01 LKR 4,989
280.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.91 MX$539
$3.08 LKR 1,024
838.64%
Cinema Ticket
$5.14 MX$95.8
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Moratuwa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$207 MX$3,851
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,927 MX$73.2K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Moratuwa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.35 MX$808
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.44 MX$772
$6.05 LKR 2,013
584.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.2 MX$1,383
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.3 MX$1,664
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Moratuwa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$980 MX$18.3K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$381 MX$7,099
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,708 MX$31.8K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,075 MX$20.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,943 MX$73.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,158 MX$114.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Moratuwa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$735 MX$13.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
0
-

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Moratuwa: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$381
Moratuwa
–
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$255
Moratuwa
–
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$202
Moratuwa
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Moratuwa
–
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Moratuwa
–
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$67
Moratuwa
–
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$50
Moratuwa
–
Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇱🇰 Moratuwa
🕒 Local time
18:48 6:48 PM
05:18 5:18 AM
10 h 30 min ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
207,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 332 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 370 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.7 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Moratuwa 16,650 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Moratuwa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Moratuwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Moratuwa cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 817%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $197 in Moratuwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen and in Moratuwa?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $131 in Moratuwa. That makes Moratuwa about 89% cheaper.
How do food prices compare in Playa del Carmen and in Moratuwa?
Groceries cost about 267% more in Playa del Carmen, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Moratuwa?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Moratuwa, where all-in costs run around $131, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Moratuwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Playa del Carmen or in Moratuwa?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $131 in Moratuwa to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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