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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $519 in Ragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $861 in Ragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,203 in Ragama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 143% 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 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$4.07 LKR 1,363

187.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$24.91 LKR 8,346

68.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$8.51 LKR 2,850

23.50%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$2.63 LKR 880

36.50%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.73 LKR 245

106.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.38 LKR 126

142.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$2.32 LKR 777

27.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$3.32 LKR 1,112

32.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.58 LKR 528

-11.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.56 LKR 189

235.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$0.73 LKR 243

113.70%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.11 LKR 706

23.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$14.22 LKR 4,765

-41.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$4.54 LKR 1,523

83.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$8.20 LKR 2,747

32.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$7.41 LKR 2,482

-63.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.12 LKR 376

34.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$5.81 LKR 1,948

-67.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.24 LKR 416

76.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.16 LKR 388

60.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.24 LKR 416

79.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.15 LKR 386

-6.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.55 LKR 186

98.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$10.07 LKR 3,373

-58.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$12.44 LKR 4,167

-16.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$2.10 LKR 705

-20.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.98 LKR 999

-12.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.38 LKR 129

710.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.35 LKR 118

585.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$0.57 LKR 191

449.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.26 LKR 423

3.97%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$26.3K LKR 8.8M

13.51%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$34.2K LKR 11.4M

-31.71%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$59.4 LKR 19.9K

36.79%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$4.29 LKR 1,437

425.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$14.96 LKR 5,013

100.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$3.36 LKR 1,127

46.43%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$37.47 LKR 12.6K

435.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$445 LKR 149.1K

1062.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$27.07 LKR 9,070

32.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$19.30 LKR 6,467

107.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$69.5 LKR 23.3K

14.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$39.20 LKR 13.1K

120.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

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 Ragama: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in Ragama. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $255 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 143%, 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 $779 in Ragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $519 in Ragama. 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 $37.47 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 $519, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.