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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,322 in Ramsey, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,123 in Ramsey, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,924 in Ramsey, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 2% cheaper than Ramsey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ramsey are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ramsey 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$29.41 IMP 21.91

-60.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$107 IMP 79.4

-60.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$10.19 IMP 7.59

2.16%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$5.56 IMP 4.14

-35.07%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$2.82 IMP 2.10

-48.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$1.92 IMP 1.43

-49.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$6.70 IMP 4.99

-56.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$6.02 IMP 4.49

-23.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.93 IMP 1.44

-25.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.94 IMP 1.44

-2.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$2.02 IMP 1.51

-22.28%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$4.28 IMP 3.19

-38.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$6.96 IMP 5.19

21.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$8.23 IMP 6.13

4.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$11.83 IMP 8.82

-7.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.42 IMP 1.80

11.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.77 IMP 1.32

-14.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$2.67 IMP 1.99

-28.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$2.96 IMP 2.21

-26.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$2.36 IMP 1.76

-20.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$2.57 IMP 1.91

-13.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.58 IMP 1.18

-31.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$2.05 IMP 1.53

-47.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$22.82 IMP 17.00

-81.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$12.04 IMP 8.97

-14.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$3.93 IMP 2.93

-57.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$3.77 IMP 2.81

-32.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$2.66 IMP 1.98

-79.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$5.14 IMP 3.83

-37.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$1.49 IMP 1.11

65.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$79.9 IMP 59.6

-96.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$2.07 IMP 1.54

-36.23%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$35.0K IMP 26.1K

-13.91%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$35.6K IMP 26.5K

-34.20%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$304 IMP 226

-73.23%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$39.08 IMP 29.12

-42.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$69.5 IMP 51.8

-56.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$13.51 IMP 10.07

-61.81%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$1,290 IMP 961

-84.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$31.9K IMP 23.7K

-83.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$96.1 IMP 71.6

-62.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$41.51 IMP 30.92

-2.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$121 IMP 90.4

-35.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$76.8 IMP 57.2

13.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

3.66

212.02%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Last update for Ramsey: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $107 in Ramsey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $304 – 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 Ramsey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ramsey is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,983 in Ramsey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,322 in Ramsey. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $202 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,290 in Ramsey. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Ramsey at $1,322. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ramsey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ramsey makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.