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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $512 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $814 in Piliyandala, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,115 in Piliyandala, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 146% more than Piliyandala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Piliyandala are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Piliyandala 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.39 LKR 1,137

245.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$13.41 LKR 4,501

212.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.25 LKR 2,769

27.39%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.74 LKR 921

31.02%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.72 LKR 242

109.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.40 LKR 136

130.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.05 LKR 689

44.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.39 LKR 1,136

30.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.71 LKR 574

-18.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.52 LKR 175

261.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.83 LKR 277

87.95%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.12 LKR 712

23.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$13.99 LKR 4,693

-40.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.64 LKR 1,556

79.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$7.98 LKR 2,678

36.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$7.64 LKR 2,563

-64.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.07 LKR 359

41.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$5.62 LKR 1,885

-66.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.20 LKR 403

82.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.11 LKR 374

67.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.36 LKR 455

63.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.19 LKR 399

-10.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.60 LKR 203

81.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$9.89 LKR 3,319

-57.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.55 LKR 4,211

-16.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.06 LKR 691

-19.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.94 LKR 986

-11.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.42 LKR 141

633.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.32 LKR 109

650.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$0.57 LKR 192

449.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.20 LKR 403

9.17%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

9.52%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$34.8K LKR 11.7M

-32.89%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$60.4 LKR 20.3K

34.59%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$4.45 LKR 1,492

406.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$15.23 LKR 5,112

97.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.30 LKR 1,109

49.09%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$36.19 LKR 12.1K

454.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$442 LKR 148.4K

1070.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$27.95 LKR 9,378

28.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$19.33 LKR 6,487

107.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$70.1 LKR 23.5K

13.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$38.09 LKR 12.8K

126.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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 Piliyandala: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Piliyandala. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $256 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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $512 in Piliyandala – roughly 146% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $768 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 $42.00 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 2% 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 $512, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $512 in Piliyandala to $1,260 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.