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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $716 in Weligama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $911 in Weligama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,106 in Weligama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 76% more than Weligama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Weligama are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Weligama 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.92 LKR 1,315

198.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$13.33 LKR 4,474

214.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$5.77 LKR 1,937

82.15%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.64 LKR 884

35.98%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.74 LKR 248

104.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.37 LKR 126

148.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.37 LKR 796

24.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.38 LKR 1,133

30.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.68 LKR 564

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.32 LKR 106

487.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.85 LKR 285

83.53%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.11 LKR 707

23.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$13.92 LKR 4,671

-40.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.54 LKR 1,523

83.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$8.22 LKR 2,759

32.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$7.43 LKR 2,493

-63.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.75 LKR 252

101.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$5.73 LKR 1,922

-67.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.26 LKR 421

73.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.11 LKR 374

67.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.48 LKR 162

364.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.20 LKR 401

-10.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.56 LKR 189

94.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$10.25 LKR 3,439

-59.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.54 LKR 4,206

-16.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$2.00 LKR 670

-17.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.97 LKR 996

-12.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.39 LKR 131

689.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.36 LKR 119

566.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$0.58 LKR 193

439.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.24 LKR 417

5.65%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$26.6K LKR 8.9M

12.21%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$34.7K LKR 11.6M

-32.81%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$61.1 LKR 20.5K

32.98%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$3.27 LKR 1,099

589.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$15.27 LKR 5,123

96.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.40 LKR 1,141

44.71%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$37.18 LKR 12.5K

440.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$436 LKR 146.3K

1086.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$27.89 LKR 9,360

28.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$19.45 LKR 6,527

106.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$69.8 LKR 23.4K

14.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$39.23 LKR 13.2K

120.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$220 LKR 74.0K

113.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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 27, 2026

Last update for Weligama: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $13.00 in Weligama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $249 – 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 76%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,074 in Weligama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $716 in Weligama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $37.18 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 $716, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.