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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $534 in Ragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $867 in Ragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,201 in Ragama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 138% more than Ragama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ragama are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ragama 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$4.06 LKR 1,369

192.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$25.46 LKR 8,582

68.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$8.28 LKR 2,790

28.62%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$2.76 LKR 929

25.00%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$0.73 LKR 247

105.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$0.38 LKR 128

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$2.38 LKR 802

27.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$3.44 LKR 1,161

34.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$1.63 LKR 551

-15.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.53 LKR 178

249.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$0.75 LKR 254

114.67%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$2.13 LKR 717

21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$14.01 LKR 4,720

-41.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$4.60 LKR 1,550

81.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$7.90 LKR 2,662

34.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$7.43 LKR 2,504

-64.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$1.10 LKR 372

35.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$5.62 LKR 1,894

-65.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$1.25 LKR 421

67.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$1.16 LKR 392

60.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$1.19 LKR 400

89.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$1.20 LKR 404

-11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$0.60 LKR 201

81.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$10.10 LKR 3,403

-58.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$12.58 LKR 4,240

-17.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$2.02 LKR 682

-14.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$2.94 LKR 992

-11.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$0.41 LKR 138

663.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$0.32 LKR 109

684.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$0.56 LKR 189

462.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$1.21 LKR 407

4.96%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$26.6K LKR 9.0M

14.25%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$34.9K LKR 11.8M

-32.43%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$60.7 LKR 20.4K

36.83%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$4.27 LKR 1,438

431.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$15.07 LKR 5,079

95.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$3.38 LKR 1,138

45.86%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$36.60 LKR 12.3K

439.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$444 LKR 149.7K

1088.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$27.18 LKR 9,159

35.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$19.47 LKR 6,561

104.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$69.4 LKR 23.4K

15.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$38.05 LKR 12.8K

135.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 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 7, 2026

Last update for Ragama: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Ragama. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $253 in Ragama – 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 Ragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 138%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $800 in Ragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $534 in Ragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $36.60 in Ragama. 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 Ragama, where all-in costs run around $534, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Ragama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ragama – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ragama. 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.