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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $518 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $854 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,190 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 150% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Polonnaruwa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Polonnaruwa 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.92 LKR 1,309

199.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$25.40 LKR 8,469

63.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.32 LKR 2,774

27.88%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.75 LKR 917

28.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.74 LKR 247

104.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.41 LKR 136

136.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.30 LKR 765

28.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$3.41 LKR 1,137

30.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.73 LKR 575

-20.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.55 LKR 185

243.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.85 LKR 284

92.94%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.12 LKR 708

18.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$14.28 LKR 4,761

-41.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.63 LKR 1,545

80.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.18 LKR 2,728

31.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$7.34 LKR 2,447

-64.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.06 LKR 354

37.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$5.84 LKR 1,948

-67.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.21 LKR 403

71.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.11 LKR 369

60.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.38 LKR 459

58.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.16 LKR 386

-10.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.56 LKR 186

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$9.90 LKR 3,300

-58.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$12.61 LKR 4,205

-18.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.10 LKR 701

-18.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.89 LKR 965

-10.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.41 LKR 138

695.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.35 LKR 117

611.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$0.61 LKR 204

432.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$1.21 LKR 405

8.26%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

11.49%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$35.4K LKR 11.8M

-33.88%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$60.1 LKR 20.0K

37.86%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$4.27 LKR 1,424

420.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$15.36 LKR 5,121

91.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$3.27 LKR 1,091

55.05%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$37.14 LKR 12.4K

440.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$441 LKR 147.1K

1081.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$27.45 LKR 9,155

34.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$19.29 LKR 6,433

106.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$69.3 LKR 23.1K

13.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$38.28 LKR 12.8K

127.51%

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

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 Polonnaruwa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Polonnaruwa. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $257 in Polonnaruwa – 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 Polonnaruwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 150%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $777 in Polonnaruwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $518 in Polonnaruwa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $37.14 in Polonnaruwa. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polonnaruwa, where all-in costs run around $518, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Polonnaruwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Polonnaruwa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Polonnaruwa. 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.