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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $523 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $854 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,185 in Ratnapura, rent included.

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

Both Playa del Carmen and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Ratnapura 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$2.22 LKR 708

437.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$10.12 LKR 3,225

322.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$6.90 LKR 2,197

53.48%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.32 LKR 739

56.03%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.80 LKR 255

83.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.51 LKR 164

84.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$2.12 LKR 676

45.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$3.04 LKR 969

46.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.96 LKR 624

-27.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.81 LKR 257

132.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$0.67 LKR 213

143.28%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.18 LKR 376

123.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$16.59 LKR 5,285

-50.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$7.00 LKR 2,229

18.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$17.62 LKR 5,614

-37.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$4.60 LKR 1,466

-42.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$0.78 LKR 248

92.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$4.56 LKR 1,454

-56.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.06 LKR 337

96.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.11 LKR 353

61.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.57 LKR 502

38.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.52 LKR 166

107.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.48 LKR 152

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$14.35 LKR 4,573

-72.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$12.91 LKR 4,114

-20.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$2.25 LKR 717

-23.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$3.16 LKR 1,007

-20.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.38 LKR 121

36.84%

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

$0.48 LKR 154

400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$0.32 LKR 101

865.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.04 LKR 330

22.12%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$21.5K LKR 6.8M

43.79%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$21.8K LKR 7.0M

6.78%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

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

$22.45 MX$391

$2.25 LKR 718

897.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$7.87 LKR 2,508

276.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$9.92 LKR 3,162

422.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$2.70 LKR 861

84.07%

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

$198 MX$3,442

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$11.55 LKR 3,678

214.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$8.61 LKR 2,745

365.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$93.7 LKR 29.9K

-14.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$28.14 LKR 8,965

215.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$85.2 LKR 27.2K

1030.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$60.4 LKR 19.3K

669.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$92.6 LKR 29.5K

1205.15%

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

$174 LKR 55.3K

315.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Ratnapura: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $85.2 in Ratnapura. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 315% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $10.00 in Ratnapura. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $282 in Ratnapura – 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 Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 146%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $784 in Ratnapura. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ratnapura, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $10.00 in Ratnapura. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ratnapura, where all-in costs run around $523, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Ratnapura it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ratnapura – 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 Ratnapura. 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.