Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ramallah

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,940 in Ramallah, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in Ramallah
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Ramallah Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Ramallah

🇵🇸 Palestine

$1,940

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Ramallah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Ramallah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,940 in Ramallah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Ramallah $1,940

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,803 in Ramallah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Ramallah $2,803

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,666 in Ramallah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,959
Ramallah $3,666

Playa del Carmen is about 38% cheaper than Ramallah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Playa del Carmen sits 12% below the global median, while Ramallah is 43% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$205

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$814

$65.0 ₪204

-33.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$221

$12.72 ₪39.93

-7.39%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.5

$4.99 ₪15.67

-23.65%

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

$1.28 MX$24.07

$1.92 ₪6.04

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.70

$1.59 ₪4.98

-50.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.5

$9.65 ₪30.28

-67.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.7

$7.98 ₪25.03

-38.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.40

$2.12 ₪6.67

-33.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.62

$2.62 ₪8.22

-15.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.61

$2.98 ₪9.34

-52.35%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.36

$3.78 ₪11.86

-33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$136

$11.39 ₪35.73

-36.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$144

$6.36 ₪19.96

21.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$238

$26.28 ₪82.5

-51.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$52.3

$4.81 ₪15.08

-42.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.68

$1.64 ₪5.15

-16.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.89

$1.64 ₪5.15

55.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.86

$2.21 ₪6.92

-4.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.39

$1.90 ₪5.96

2.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.41

$1.64 ₪5.14

15.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.53

$2.33 ₪7.32

-50.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$22.13

$0.95 ₪3.00

24.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.6

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$187

$22.97 ₪72.1

-56.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.73

$2.61 ₪8.21

-39.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$50.1

$2.29 ₪7.19

16.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.39

$1.65 ₪5.17

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$500

$82.5 ₪259

-67.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$93.3

$4.85 ₪15.21

2.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.5

$4.88 ₪15.33

-31.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$27.11

$2.55 ₪8.01

-43.53%

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

$20.7K MX$388.0K

$57.9K ₪181.7K

-64.32%

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

$23.5K MX$440.5K

$89.3K ₪280.2K

-73.72%

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

$84.8 MX$1,592

$318 ₪999

-73.35%

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

$23.41 MX$439

$29.76 ₪93.4

-21.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$538

$38.22 ₪120

-25.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,071

$90.4 ₪284

-36.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$543

$19.35 ₪60.7

49.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$96.5

$11.41 ₪35.81

-54.95%

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

$207 MX$3,878

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.7K

$8,158 ₪25.6K

-51.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$814

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$778

$97.7 ₪307

-57.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,393

$131 ₪411

-43.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,676

$96.8 ₪304

-7.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.4K

$1,066 ₪3,344

-8.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,150

$636 ₪1,995

-40.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$32.1K

$1,438 ₪4,513

18.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.2K

$970 ₪3,043

10.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$74.0K

$1,190 ₪3,736

231.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.6K

$895 ₪2,809

587.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.8K

$1,275 ₪4,001

-42.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.33

114.82%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ramallah: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Ramallah

$636 32.8% 66.9% $255

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Ramallah

$364 18.8% 42.9% $109

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Ramallah

$176 * 9.1% 12.9% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Ramallah

$386 19.9% 182% $249

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Ramallah

$147 * 7.6% 31.2% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Ramallah

$113 5.8% 68.2% $46

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Ramallah

$118 6.1% 135% $68

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,066 in Ramallah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 74% higher in Ramallah. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen versus $65 in Ramallah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $364 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇵🇸 Ramallah

🕒 Local time

19:07 7:07 PM

02:07 2:07 AM

7 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

43,880 Capital

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Israeli New Shekel ILS ₪

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

1 ILS = 0.319 USD

1 ILS = 0.285 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ILS, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Israeli New Shekel exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3.14 ILS (1 ILS = 0.319 USD). 1 EUR = 3.5 ILS (1 ILS = 0.285 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Playa del Carmen Ramallah 11,540 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Ramallah

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ramallah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ramallah is pricier by about 61%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,910 in Ramallah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $980 in Playa del Carmen and $1,066 in Ramallah. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $1,940 in Ramallah. That makes Playa del Carmen about 38% cheaper.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43 in Playa del Carmen and $65 in Ramallah. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Ramallah at $1,940. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ramallah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,940 in Ramallah. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ramallah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.