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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $734 in Weligama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $919 in Weligama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,104 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 3% lower, Weligama 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$4.11 LKR 1,370

185.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$13.47 LKR 4,487

210.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$6.01 LKR 2,002

73.21%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.62 LKR 872

37.79%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.69 LKR 231

111.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.37 LKR 124

162.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.37 LKR 790

23.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$3.28 LKR 1,091

40.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.66 LKR 552

-13.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$0.32 LKR 106

493.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$0.83 LKR 276

89.16%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.16 LKR 718

22.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$14.21 LKR 4,732

-40.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$4.79 LKR 1,596

79.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$8.11 LKR 2,699

35.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$7.69 LKR 2,561

-64.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$0.80 LKR 266

88.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$5.78 LKR 1,923

-66.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.25 LKR 416

73.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.16 LKR 385

61.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.48 LKR 160

364.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.16 LKR 386

-6.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.57 LKR 189

87.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$9.98 LKR 3,325

-58.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$13.01 LKR 4,333

-20.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$2.09 LKR 697

-19.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$2.83 LKR 941

-10.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.41 LKR 137

680.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$0.32 LKR 108

668.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$0.60 LKR 200

433.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$1.26 LKR 420

4.76%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$27.3K LKR 9.1M

10.57%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$35.0K LKR 11.6M

-33.07%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$59.9 LKR 19.9K

35.83%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$3.41 LKR 1,135

557.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$15.18 LKR 5,054

97.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$3.36 LKR 1,120

53.57%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$36.70 LKR 12.2K

449.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$446 LKR 148.6K

1089.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$28.03 LKR 9,336

27.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$19.02 LKR 6,335

112.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$69.7 LKR 23.2K

12.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$39.38 LKR 13.1K

120.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$215 LKR 71.7K

122.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Weligama: June 16, 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: $254 vs $253 – 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,101 in Weligama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $734 in Weligama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $36.70 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 $734, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.