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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $513 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $811 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,109 in Piliyandala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 151% more than Piliyandala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Piliyandala are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Piliyandala 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$3.41 LKR 1,085

250.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$13.47 LKR 4,293

217.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$8.55 LKR 2,725

23.86%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.75 LKR 875

31.64%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.73 LKR 233

101.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.37 LKR 119

154.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$2.06 LKR 656

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$3.26 LKR 1,038

36.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.70 LKR 541

-15.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.52 LKR 165

261.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$0.82 LKR 262

98.78%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$2.14 LKR 680

23.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$14.10 LKR 4,492

-41.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$4.78 LKR 1,524

73.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$8.27 LKR 2,636

34.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$7.62 LKR 2,427

-65.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.11 LKR 353

35.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$5.64 LKR 1,797

-64.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.25 LKR 399

66.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.12 LKR 357

59.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.38 LKR 439

57.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.15 LKR 367

-6.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.55 LKR 176

89.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$10.09 LKR 3,214

-60.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$12.71 LKR 4,049

-19.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$2.01 LKR 642

-13.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$2.93 LKR 932

-14.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.42 LKR 133

647.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.33 LKR 104

627.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$0.56 LKR 180

451.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.21 LKR 384

4.96%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$27.1K LKR 8.6M

13.77%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$35.2K LKR 11.2M

-33.85%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$60.0 LKR 19.1K

36.62%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$4.32 LKR 1,375

419.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$15.44 LKR 4,918

92.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$3.43 LKR 1,094

44.90%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$36.22 LKR 11.5K

446.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$448 LKR 142.6K

1077.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$27.73 LKR 8,835

31.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$19.58 LKR 6,238

104.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$68.9 LKR 21.9K

16.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$38.69 LKR 12.3K

129.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Piliyandala: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Piliyandala. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $257 in Piliyandala – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Piliyandala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $513 in Piliyandala – roughly 151% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $769 in Piliyandala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $13.00 in Piliyandala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Playa del Carmen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Piliyandala, where all-in costs run around $513, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Piliyandala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $513 in Piliyandala to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Piliyandala. 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.