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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $519 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $848 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,176 in Polonnaruwa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 142% more than Polonnaruwa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Polonnaruwa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Polonnaruwa 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$4.05 LKR 1,360

196.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$24.62 LKR 8,273

69.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.51 LKR 2,859

26.32%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.73 LKR 917

28.21%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.69 LKR 233

110.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.38 LKR 127

131.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.40 LKR 807

22.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.27 LKR 1,098

37.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.78 LKR 599

-19.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.55 LKR 185

234.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$0.81 LKR 274

93.83%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.21 LKR 744

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$13.95 LKR 4,687

-40.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.59 LKR 1,544

83.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.24 LKR 2,767

29.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$7.42 LKR 2,493

-64.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.08 LKR 362

33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$5.91 LKR 1,987

-66.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.20 LKR 404

74.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.10 LKR 369

68.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.41 LKR 475

53.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.20 LKR 402

-14.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.61 LKR 204

75.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$9.93 LKR 3,338

-58.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$12.75 LKR 4,283

-20.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$2.00 LKR 673

-16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$2.86 LKR 962

-11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.41 LKR 139

687.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.32 LKR 109

653.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$0.60 LKR 202

438.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.21 LKR 408

9.09%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$27.2K LKR 9.1M

9.12%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$34.7K LKR 11.7M

-31.77%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$60.5 LKR 20.3K

35.51%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$4.43 LKR 1,490

418.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$14.84 LKR 4,987

102.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$3.28 LKR 1,102

51.83%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$36.53 LKR 12.3K

440.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$441 LKR 148.3K

1109.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$27.91 LKR 9,378

27.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$19.21 LKR 6,455

109.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$68.3 LKR 23.0K

15.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$39.22 LKR 13.2K

126.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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 13, 2026

Last update for Polonnaruwa: July 13, 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 $258 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 142%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $779 in Polonnaruwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $519 in Polonnaruwa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $36.53 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 $519, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.