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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,239 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,111 in Raanana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,168 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,959 in Raanana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,096 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,806 in Raanana, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 12% more than Raanana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Raanana are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 8% lower, Raanana 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.17 MX$203

$22.38 ₪68.3

-50.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.61 MX$810

$96.3 ₪294

-53.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.91 MX$216

$20.63 ₪63.0

-42.27%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$69.3

$3.88 ₪11.86

-1.80%

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

$1.38 MX$24.97

$2.26 ₪6.89

-38.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 MX$14.46

$2.00 ₪6.11

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$56.6

$4.74 ₪14.46

-34.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.97 MX$90.2

$5.81 ₪17.73

-14.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$27.42

$2.21 ₪6.76

-31.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 MX$40.77

$2.79 ₪8.50

-19.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 MX$27.35

$2.22 ₪6.78

-31.98%

Eggs

$2.46 MX$44.73

$4.00 ₪12.21

-38.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.50 MX$136

$26.53 ₪81.0

-71.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 MX$146

$14.01 ₪42.79

-42.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 MX$238

$29.80 ₪91.0

-56.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 MX$51.5

$4.84 ₪14.78

-41.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 MX$26.78

$5.10 ₪15.58

-71.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 MX$48.90

$2.75 ₪8.39

-2.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$37.75

$2.84 ₪8.66

-26.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$35.52

$1.78 ₪5.43

10.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.51

$1.42 ₪4.34

41.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MX$21.97

$4.15 ₪12.67

-70.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 MX$22.34

$0.96 ₪2.92

28.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.46 MX$81.0

$14.78 ₪45.14

-69.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.98 MX$181

$9.40 ₪28.69

6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 MX$29.62

$3.34 ₪10.19

-51.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MX$50.8

$3.07 ₪9.37

-8.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 MX$10.50

$2.56 ₪7.80

-77.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.28 MX$514

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 MX$88.1

$2.56 ₪7.82

89.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.50 MX$63.5

$1.32 ₪4.04

165.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 MX$103

$40.97 ₪125

-86.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MX$26.43

$2.58 ₪7.88

-43.41%

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

$21.4K MX$388.4K

$56.5K ₪172.4K

-62.11%

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

$24.0K MX$435.6K

$58.6K ₪178.8K

-59.05%

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

$86.3 MX$1,568

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

$23.96 MX$435

$10.08 ₪30.78

137.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.93 MX$525

$47.29 ₪144

-38.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 MX$1,174

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.07 MX$528

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 MX$93.1

$13.15 ₪40.14

-60.99%

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

$211 MX$3,838

$1,148 ₪3,504

-81.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,045 MX$73.4K

$28.0K ₪85.6K

-85.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 MX$803

$132 ₪404

-66.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.35 MX$787

$96.0 ₪293

-54.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 MX$1,396

$101 ₪309

-24.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 MX$1,605

$122 ₪372

-27.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$996 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 MX$6,874

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,767 MX$32.1K

$2,233 ₪6,817

-20.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 MX$20.5K

$1,887 ₪5,762

-40.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,010 MX$72.8K

$13.2K ₪40.3K

-69.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,392 MX$116.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 MX$14.0K

$3,907 ₪11.9K

-80.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

129.00%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 27, 2026

Last update for Raanana: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 409% higher in Raanana, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $96.0 in Raanana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $263 vs $472 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Raanana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,859 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,667 in Raanana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,239 in Playa del Carmen and $1,111 in Raanana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $211 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,148 in Raanana. 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 Raanana, where all-in costs run around $1,111, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,239. In Raanana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Raanana – 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 Raanana. 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.