🙂A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,251 in Ramla, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,301 in Ramla, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,351 in Ramla, rent included.
🙂Playa del Carmen is about 43% cheaper than Ramla, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Ramla is 68% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Ramla
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.94MX$209
$22.23₪66.3
-46.29%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.75MX$748
$69.2₪206
-38.25%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.59MX$185
$15.21₪45.32
-30.37%
Cappuccino
$3.62MX$63.4
$4.10₪12.21
-11.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.47MX$25.69
$2.60₪7.76
-43.46%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94MX$16.51
$2.60₪7.75
-63.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.09MX$54.1
$8.98₪26.77
-65.59%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46MX$78.0
$8.68₪25.86
-48.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Ramla
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43MX$24.94
$1.72₪5.13
-16.86%
White Bread(500g)
$1.88MX$32.97
$1.53₪4.55
22.88%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.50
$2.19₪6.53
-25.57%
Eggs
$2.64MX$46.26
$4.20₪12.52
-37.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.21MX$144
$12.52₪37.32
-34.42%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$9.96₪29.69
-16.77%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.10MX$194
$20.00₪59.6
-44.50%
Apples(1kg)
$2.65MX$46.40
$3.41₪10.17
-22.29%
Banana(1kg)
$1.50MX$26.26
$2.52₪7.52
-40.48%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.99MX$34.79
$2.23₪6.66
-10.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.33
$1.98₪5.91
5.05%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79MX$31.29
$1.92₪5.73
-6.77%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.09
$1.93₪5.75
12.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08MX$18.84
$1.66₪4.96
-34.94%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.04MX$18.15
$1.45₪4.31
-28.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97MX$69.5
$10.15₪30.24
-60.89%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.20MX$179
$16.82₪50.1
-39.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73MX$30.22
$2.75₪8.21
-37.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50MX$43.71
$3.37₪10.03
-25.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Ramla
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.52MX$9.07
$1.74₪5.18
-70.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.97MX$472
$65.6₪196
-58.91%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14MX$55.0
$3.87₪11.52
-18.86%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.40MX$42.04
$0.87₪2.59
175.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.09MX$54.0
$34.27₪102
-90.98%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.28
$2.10₪6.25
-39.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9KMX$540.4K
$40.4K₪120.4K
-23.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.3KMX$408.0K
$39.8K₪118.5K
-41.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Ramla
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.0MX$1,435
$268₪798
-69.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.45MX$393
$10.71₪31.93
109.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.66MX$519
$30.32₪90.4
-2.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Ramla
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.9MX$908
$57.0₪170
-8.94%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.67MX$327
$17.98₪53.6
3.84%
Cinema Ticket
$4.97MX$87.0
$10.50₪31.30
-52.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Ramla
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$198MX$3,462
$1,310₪3,905
-84.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,273MX$92.3K
$25.2K₪75.0K
-79.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Ramla
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.34MX$636
$71.7₪214
-49.32%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.05MX$701
$56.8₪169
-29.46%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$79.9MX$1,398
$135₪403
-40.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.9MX$1,555
$151₪450
-41.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Ramla
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$963MX$16.9K
$1,025₪3,054
-6.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$465MX$8,133
$936₪2,789
-50.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,596MX$27.9K
$1,515₪4,516
5.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,209MX$21.2K
$1,416₪4,221
-14.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,942MX$69.0K
$7,891₪23.5K
-50.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,448MX$112.8K
$7,147₪21.3K
-9.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Ramla
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$720MX$12.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.42
5.46
109.16%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026
Last update for Ramla: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,025 in Ramla. 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $69.0 in Ramla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $344 – 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 Ramla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ramla cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Yes – Ramla is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,376 in Ramla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Playa del Carmen vs Ramla?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $2,251 in Ramla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 143% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Ramla?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Ramla at $2,251. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ramla it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Playa del Carmen or Ramla more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ramla makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared