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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $413 in Negombo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $687 in Negombo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $962 in Negombo.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 214% more expensive than Negombo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Negombo 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.96 LKR 1,320

196.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$18.05 LKR 6,021

130.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.33 LKR 2,778

27.73%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.39 LKR 463

153.24%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.73 LKR 245

106.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.38 LKR 125

155.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.98 LKR 661

48.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.37 LKR 1,125

32.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.54 LKR 512

-10.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.49 LKR 162

285.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.81 LKR 269

102.47%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.19 LKR 730

14.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$14.35 LKR 4,784

-41.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.60 LKR 1,534

81.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$5.64 LKR 1,882

90.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.97 LKR 656

31.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.77 LKR 255

89.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$2.49 LKR 830

-23.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.20 LKR 399

73.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.85 LKR 285

109.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.97 LKR 323

125.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.97 LKR 325

7.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.57 LKR 190

89.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$8.90 LKR 2,970

-54.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$12.93 LKR 4,311

-20.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.07 LKR 691

-17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.97 LKR 991

-13.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.32 LKR 105

59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.39 LKR 130

735.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.33 LKR 110

654.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$0.57 LKR 190

470.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.26 LKR 421

3.97%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

13.99%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$35.4K LKR 11.8M

-33.86%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$30.48 LKR 10.2K

171.88%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$4.43 LKR 1,477

401.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$14.87 LKR 4,960

97.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$13.58 LKR 4,527

280.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$10.12 LKR 3,374

81.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$2.48 LKR 827

104.44%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$36.75 LKR 12.3K

446.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$441 LKR 147.2K

1080.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$19.50 LKR 6,503

89.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$19.18 LKR 6,396

107.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$48.26 LKR 16.1K

62.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$26.40 LKR 8,803

229.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$178 LKR 59.4K

273.01%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Negombo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Playa del Carmen pays 273% 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 $203 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 214% 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.

Playa del Carmen pays 273% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $36.75 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 $413 in Negombo versus $1,297 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 $413 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 214% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.