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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $526 in Ragama, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $851 in Ragama, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,177 in Ragama, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 140% more than Ragama, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ragama are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ragama 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$3.92 LKR 1,240

197.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$25.21 LKR 7,978

66.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$8.54 LKR 2,703

21.78%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.73 LKR 865

32.23%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.74 LKR 233

98.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.40 LKR 127

127.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.32 LKR 734

30.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$3.26 LKR 1,032

37.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.58 LKR 501

-12.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.53 LKR 168

247.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$0.75 LKR 238

114.67%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.19 LKR 694

17.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$14.03 LKR 4,441

-39.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.64 LKR 1,468

82.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$7.93 LKR 2,509

38.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$7.69 LKR 2,433

-64.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.07 LKR 340

40.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$5.69 LKR 1,801

-65.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.26 LKR 399

68.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$1.11 LKR 351

67.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$1.18 LKR 375

83.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$1.16 LKR 367

-7.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.61 LKR 192

72.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$10.10 LKR 3,198

-58.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$12.87 LKR 4,073

-20.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$2.00 LKR 632

-16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.96 LKR 936

-15.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.39 LKR 123

694.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.35 LKR 111

602.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$0.56 LKR 178

478.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.26 LKR 400

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$27.3K LKR 8.6M

10.59%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$34.7K LKR 11.0M

-32.52%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$59.0 LKR 18.7K

42.33%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$4.43 LKR 1,404

401.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$15.40 LKR 4,875

92.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$3.45 LKR 1,091

43.48%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$37.37 LKR 11.8K

430.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$440 LKR 139.4K

1108.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$27.22 LKR 8,616

32.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$19.32 LKR 6,116

107.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$70.2 LKR 22.2K

12.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$39.05 LKR 12.4K

121.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Ragama: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $0 in Ragama. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $25 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 140%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $789 in Ragama. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $526 in Ragama. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $37.37 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 $526, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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.