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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $417 in Negombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $688 in Negombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $958 in Negombo.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 201% more expensive than in Negombo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Negombo 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.04 LKR 1,356

196.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$18.34 LKR 6,165

127.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.18 LKR 2,750

31.42%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$1.36 LKR 457

157.35%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.68 LKR 229

113.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.37 LKR 125

137.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$1.96 LKR 658

50.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.33 LKR 1,118

35.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.55 LKR 520

-7.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.49 LKR 164

275.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.86 LKR 288

82.56%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.21 LKR 742

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$14.31 LKR 4,810

-42.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.61 LKR 1,549

82.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$5.58 LKR 1,876

91.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.02 LKR 680

29.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$0.77 LKR 257

87.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$2.44 LKR 819

-19.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.21 LKR 408

72.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.86 LKR 289

115.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.95 LKR 318

128.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.03 LKR 344

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.61 LKR 204

75.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$8.64 LKR 2,903

-52.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$12.87 LKR 4,325

-20.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.06 LKR 694

-18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.96 LKR 993

-14.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.32 LKR 106

59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.39 LKR 131

728.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.33 LKR 112

630.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$0.60 LKR 203

438.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.21 LKR 406

9.09%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$27.1K LKR 9.1M

9.53%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$34.4K LKR 11.6M

-31.22%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$30.72 LKR 10.3K

166.96%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$4.31 LKR 1,448

432.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$14.95 LKR 5,025

101.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$13.13 LKR 4,413

295.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$9.88 LKR 3,321

87.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$2.49 LKR 837

100.00%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$36.96 LKR 12.4K

434.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$442 LKR 148.5K

1107.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$19.56 LKR 6,574

82.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$19.18 LKR 6,447

110.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$48.46 LKR 16.3K

62.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$27.21 LKR 9,144

226.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$177 LKR 59.5K

269.18%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Negombo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 269% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $18.00 in Negombo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $204 per month, with Negombo cheaper across the board.

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 Negombo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Negombo wins on cost – living expenses run 201% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Negombo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 269% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.96 in Negombo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Negombo – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $417 in Negombo versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Negombo but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Negombo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Negombo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $417 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Negombo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Negombo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Negombo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 201% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.