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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $500 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $830 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,161 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 153% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Polonnaruwa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Polonnaruwa 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.29 LKR 1,418

170.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$25.83 LKR 8,542

82.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.83 LKR 2,588

51.72%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.47 LKR 816

61.13%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.73 LKR 241

95.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.25 LKR 82.6

228.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$2.19 LKR 724

45.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.10 LKR 1,024

119.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.56 LKR 516

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.53 LKR 175

315.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.81 LKR 267

111.11%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.64 LKR 543

67.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$13.05 LKR 4,315

-26.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.12 LKR 1,694

75.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.39 LKR 2,444

73.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$6.87 LKR 2,270

-57.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$0.88 LKR 292

70.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$4.20 LKR 1,389

-48.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.24 LKR 411

82.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.01 LKR 335

96.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.76 LKR 252

161.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.93 LKR 308

32.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.48 LKR 160

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$10.43 LKR 3,447

-56.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.76 LKR 4,550

-24.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.91 LKR 630

-15.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.83 LKR 937

1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$0.41 LKR 137

1214.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.38 LKR 126

881.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$0.92 LKR 305

527.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.28 LKR 423

20.31%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$31.1K LKR 10.3M

-27.41%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$41.9K LKR 13.9M

-37.88%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$54.5 LKR 18.0K

67.55%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$4.09 LKR 1,351

516.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$21.14 LKR 6,990

47.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$4.55 LKR 1,505

6.81%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$38.55 LKR 12.7K

480.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$1,217 LKR 402.5K

247.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$20.29 LKR 6,710

132.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$16.85 LKR 5,570

162.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$80.0 LKR 26.5K

0.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$41.76 LKR 13.8K

121.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

12.69

-9.77%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Polonnaruwa: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Polonnaruwa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $237 – making Polonnaruwa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 153%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $750 in Polonnaruwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $500 in Polonnaruwa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $38.55 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 $500, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.