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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $740 in Weligama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $926 in Weligama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,111 in Weligama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 74% more than Weligama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Weligama are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Weligama 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$4.01 LKR 1,279

197.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$13.42 LKR 4,279

218.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$5.92 LKR 1,886

78.89%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.62 LKR 835

38.17%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.68 LKR 216

116.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.40 LKR 128

135.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.35 LKR 750

31.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.42 LKR 1,091

30.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.71 LKR 545

-16.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.34 LKR 108

452.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.88 LKR 280

85.23%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.22 LKR 709

18.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$14.33 LKR 4,570

-42.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.79 LKR 1,527

73.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$8.18 LKR 2,608

35.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$7.54 LKR 2,404

-64.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.76 LKR 242

97.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$5.70 LKR 1,818

-65.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.26 LKR 403

65.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.11 LKR 353

61.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.49 LKR 155

344.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.20 LKR 383

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.59 LKR 190

76.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$9.94 LKR 3,169

-60.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$12.34 LKR 3,936

-17.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$2.03 LKR 648

-14.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.88 LKR 917

-13.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.41 LKR 132

665.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.35 LKR 113

585.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$0.57 LKR 181

442.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.21 LKR 387

4.96%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$27.2K LKR 8.7M

13.43%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$35.2K LKR 11.2M

-33.75%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$59.8 LKR 19.1K

37.21%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$3.43 LKR 1,092

554.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$15.08 LKR 4,810

96.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$3.31 LKR 1,054

50.15%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$37.44 LKR 11.9K

428.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$439 LKR 140.0K

1100.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$27.42 LKR 8,745

32.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$19.28 LKR 6,148

107.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$70.2 LKR 22.4K

13.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$38.59 LKR 12.3K

130.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$220 LKR 70.0K

111.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Weligama: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Weligama. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $253 in Weligama – 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 Weligama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 74%, 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 $1,111 in Weligama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $740 in Weligama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $37.44 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 $740, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.