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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $518 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $854 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,190 per month in Polonnaruwa vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Polonnaruwa is about 60% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Polonnaruwa and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Polonnaruwa 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 LKR 1,301

$11.73 MX$203

-66.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.40 LKR 8,420

$41.62 MX$720

-38.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.32 LKR 2,758

$10.64 MX$184

-21.80%

Cappuccino

$2.75 LKR 911

$3.52 MX$60.9

-21.88%

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

$0.74 LKR 246

$1.51 MX$26.12

-50.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 LKR 135

$0.97 MX$16.84

-57.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.30 LKR 761

$2.95 MX$51.0

-22.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 LKR 1,131

$4.45 MX$77.0

-23.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 LKR 572

$1.38 MX$23.93

25.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 LKR 184

$1.89 MX$32.72

-70.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 LKR 282

$1.64 MX$28.32

-48.17%

Eggs

$2.12 LKR 704

$2.51 MX$43.34

-15.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.28 LKR 4,734

$8.34 MX$144

71.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.63 LKR 1,536

$8.34 MX$144

-44.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.18 LKR 2,712

$10.73 MX$186

-23.77%

Apples (1kg)

$7.34 LKR 2,433

$2.60 MX$45.04

182.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 LKR 352

$1.46 MX$25.20

-27.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.84 LKR 1,936

$1.90 MX$32.87

207.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 LKR 401

$2.08 MX$35.91

-41.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 LKR 367

$1.78 MX$30.71

-37.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 LKR 456

$2.19 MX$37.80

-36.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LKR 384

$1.04 MX$17.99

11.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 LKR 184

$1.08 MX$18.62

-48.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.90 LKR 3,281

$4.08 MX$70.6

142.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 LKR 4,181

$10.32 MX$178

22.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 LKR 697

$1.71 MX$29.61

22.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 LKR 960

$2.58 MX$44.54

12.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 137

$3.26 MX$56.4

-87.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 LKR 116

$2.49 MX$43.09

-85.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 LKR 203

$3.25 MX$56.2

-81.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 403

$1.31 MX$22.61

-7.63%

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

$27.2K LKR 9.0M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-10.31%

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

$35.4K LKR 11.7M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

51.24%

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

$60.1 LKR 19.9K

$82.9 MX$1,433

-27.46%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,416

$22.22 MX$384

-80.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.36 LKR 5,092

$29.34 MX$507

-47.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$3.27 LKR 1,085

$5.07 MX$87.6

-35.50%

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

$37.14 LKR 12.3K

$201 MX$3,473

-81.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$441 LKR 146.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-91.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.45 LKR 9,102

$36.92 MX$639

-25.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.29 LKR 6,396

$39.79 MX$688

-51.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 LKR 23.0K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-11.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.28 LKR 12.7K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-56.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

11.42

44.05%

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

Last update for Polonnaruwa: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Polonnaruwa versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Polonnaruwa vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – 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

Polonnaruwa vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 150%, 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 $777 per month in Polonnaruwa and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $518 in Polonnaruwa and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $37.14 per month in Polonnaruwa and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Polonnaruwa, where all-in costs run around $518, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Polonnaruwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Polonnaruwa – 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 Polonnaruwa. 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.