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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $515 in Ragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $835 in Ragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,154 in Ragama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 153% 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 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$4.41 LKR 1,448

171.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$26.20 LKR 8,610

80.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.64 LKR 2,509

53.80%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.54 LKR 834

62.20%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.69 LKR 226

102.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.27 LKR 88.7

237.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.25 LKR 740

42.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.12 LKR 1,026

126.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.43 LKR 468

17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.51 LKR 166

321.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.69 LKR 226

156.52%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.66 LKR 546

69.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$13.16 LKR 4,324

-30.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.94 LKR 1,622

86.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.23 LKR 2,376

74.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$6.71 LKR 2,206

-56.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.89 LKR 294

77.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$4.32 LKR 1,420

-48.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.24 LKR 408

90.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.04 LKR 343

91.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.80 LKR 262

147.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.88 LKR 290

40.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.46 LKR 151

163.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$10.46 LKR 3,435

-56.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$13.56 LKR 4,457

-22.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.00 LKR 656

-15.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.77 LKR 909

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.39 LKR 128

1243.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.39 LKR 127

835.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$0.92 LKR 303

528.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.35 LKR 443

14.07%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$30.0K LKR 9.8M

-23.91%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$41.7K LKR 13.7M

-38.03%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$54.4 LKR 17.9K

66.80%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$4.16 LKR 1,366

505.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$20.62 LKR 6,776

53.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$4.49 LKR 1,477

8.24%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$38.72 LKR 12.7K

482.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$1,242 LKR 408.2K

237.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$20.02 LKR 6,577

136.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$16.51 LKR 5,424

163.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$79.6 LKR 26.1K

0.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$41.71 LKR 13.7K

119.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

12.69

-9.77%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ragama: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Ragama. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $233 – making Ragama 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 Ragama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 153%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $773 in Ragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $515 in Ragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $38.72 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 $515, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.