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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $515 in Weligama, rent included.

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

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,144 in Weligama, rent included.

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

Both Playa del Carmen and Weligama are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Weligama 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.29 LKR 1,420

170.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$25.43 LKR 8,408

85.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.56 LKR 2,501

57.14%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$2.52 LKR 833

57.94%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.68 LKR 225

110.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.27 LKR 89.5

203.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$2.29 LKR 756

39.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.06 LKR 1,013

121.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.62 LKR 537

3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$0.57 LKR 188

285.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$0.81 LKR 267

111.11%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$1.65 LKR 545

66.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$13.04 LKR 4,313

-26.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.12 LKR 1,694

75.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$7.07 LKR 2,337

81.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$6.81 LKR 2,251

-57.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$0.88 LKR 292

70.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$4.29 LKR 1,417

-49.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.23 LKR 406

83.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.99 LKR 327

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.80 LKR 264

148.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$0.88 LKR 290

39.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.49 LKR 162

144.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$10.20 LKR 3,374

-55.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.53 LKR 4,473

-23.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$1.97 LKR 652

-17.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$2.91 LKR 961

-1.03%

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

$0.42 LKR 139

1183.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$0.35 LKR 115

965.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$0.92 LKR 305

527.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$1.35 LKR 446

14.07%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$37.2K LKR 12.3M

-39.35%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$40.8K LKR 13.5M

-36.06%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$55.6 LKR 18.4K

64.47%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$4.10 LKR 1,356

514.63%

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

$4.49 LKR 1,484

8.24%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$38.14 LKR 12.6K

486.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$1,218 LKR 402.6K

247.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$19.94 LKR 6,592

136.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$16.77 LKR 5,544

164.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$78.7 LKR 26.0K

1.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$41.64 LKR 13.8K

122.53%

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 Weligama: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Weligama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $237 – making Weligama 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 Weligama: 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $773 in Weligama. 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 $515 in Weligama. 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 $38.14 in Weligama. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Weligama, where all-in costs run around $515, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Weligama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Weligama – 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 Weligama. 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.