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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $461 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $749 in Ratnapura, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,037 in Ratnapura, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 188% more than Ratnapura, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ratnapura are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ratnapura 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$1.88 LKR 621

592.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$9.02 LKR 2,975

412.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$5.99 LKR 1,975

110.18%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.11 LKR 695

89.57%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.78 LKR 256

82.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.43 LKR 142

88.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$1.97 LKR 651

54.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$2.76 LKR 910

147.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.74 LKR 575

-1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$0.72 LKR 238

208.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.65 LKR 216

164.62%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.04 LKR 344

160.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$14.71 LKR 4,853

-36.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$6.41 LKR 2,114

38.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$15.46 LKR 5,099

-17.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$4.28 LKR 1,412

-26.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$0.70 LKR 230

121.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$4.14 LKR 1,365

-48.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$0.91 LKR 300

158.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$1.03 LKR 339

96.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.35 LKR 445

47.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.46 LKR 153

169.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.43 LKR 143

176.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$13.03 LKR 4,297

-64.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$12.28 LKR 4,051

-14.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.97 LKR 650

-19.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$2.85 LKR 939

2.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.35 LKR 115

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$0.35 LKR 114

1420.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$0.46 LKR 152

708.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$0.93 LKR 306

66.67%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$19.2K LKR 6.3M

16.53%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$19.3K LKR 6.4M

32.18%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

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

$23.30 MX$395

$1.97 LKR 650

1082.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$7.22 LKR 2,380

339.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$9.00 LKR 2,968

664.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$2.37 LKR 781

113.50%

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

$222 MX$3,765

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$10.26 LKR 3,386

350.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$7.36 LKR 2,429

503.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$82.8 LKR 27.3K

15.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$25.60 LKR 8,443

261.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$74.8 LKR 24.7K

1329.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$53.1 LKR 17.5K

640.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$83.9 LKR 27.7K

1454.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$164 LKR 54.1K

355.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Ratnapura: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $74.8 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 355% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $9.00 in Ratnapura. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $254 – making Ratnapura 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 Ratnapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 188%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $692 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.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen and $9.00 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 $461, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.