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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,227 in Ramallah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,063 in Ramallah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,898 in Ramallah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 4% more than Ramallah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ramallah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ramallah 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$14.15 ₪41.26

-16.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$56.6 ₪165

-24.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$11.12 ₪32.43

-4.23%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.90 ₪11.37

-11.54%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.74 ₪2.17

102.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.57 ₪1.66

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$5.51 ₪16.06

-45.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$5.67 ₪16.53

-18.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.14 ₪6.23

-35.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.12 ₪3.26

65.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.52 ₪7.36

-36.11%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.91 ₪11.40

-33.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.39 ₪21.54

11.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$8.83 ₪25.74

-5.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$17.67 ₪51.5

-39.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.56 ₪7.46

2.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.03 ₪5.91

-26.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.02 ₪5.89

-4.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.99 ₪5.81

5.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.06 ₪3.08

75.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.33 ₪3.88

69.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.37 ₪4.01

-22.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.81 ₪2.36

34.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$8.24 ₪24.02

-49.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$2.67 ₪7.78

-35.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.51 ₪7.32

3.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.74 ₪5.07

-68.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$70.1 ₪204

-61.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$2.77 ₪8.09

13.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.36 ₪3.97

84.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$14.34 ₪41.82

-78.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$2.09 ₪6.09

-39.23%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$38.8K ₪113.1K

-21.71%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$46.1K ₪134.3K

-48.84%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$84.3 ₪246

-1.52%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$18.62 ₪54.3

21.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$47.28 ₪138

-37.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$79.7 ₪232

-36.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$16.67 ₪48.60

9.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$9.26 ₪27.01

-46.76%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$216 ₪629

-8.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,818 ₪11.1K

38.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$61.2 ₪179

-39.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$37.68 ₪110

5.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$92.9 ₪271

-13.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$73.2 ₪214

22.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$441 ₪1,287

116.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$297 ₪866

60.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$888 ₪2,589

85.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$674 ₪1,965

81.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,488 ₪4,339

163.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,079 ₪3,145

498.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$849 ₪2,475

-21.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.62

103.20%

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 Ramallah: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $441 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 27% higher in Ramallah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $57.0 in Ramallah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $260 – making Playa del Carmen 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 Ramallah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 4% more than Ramallah, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,841 in Ramallah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ramallah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,227 in Ramallah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 160% less in Ramallah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ramallah, where all-in costs run around $1,227, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Ramallah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ramallah. 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.