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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,425 in Ramsey, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,300 in Ramsey, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,174 in Ramsey, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 11% cheaper than Ramsey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 7% below the global median, while Ramsey is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$28.39 IMP 21.06

-59.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$121 IMP 89.9

-61.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$12.13 IMP 9.00

-2.06%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$5.00 IMP 3.71

-20.40%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$2.83 IMP 2.10

-49.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$2.19 IMP 1.63

-62.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$6.61 IMP 4.91

-51.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$6.16 IMP 4.57

10.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$2.00 IMP 1.48

-16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$2.47 IMP 1.83

-10.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.32 IMP 0.98

29.55%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$5.56 IMP 4.13

-50.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$8.35 IMP 6.19

14.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$8.86 IMP 6.57

1.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$13.16 IMP 9.77

-2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.01 IMP 2.23

-3.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.88 IMP 1.39

-20.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$3.86 IMP 2.86

-44.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$3.56 IMP 2.64

-36.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$2.98 IMP 2.21

-33.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$2.95 IMP 2.19

-32.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.11 IMP 1.57

-41.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$2.65 IMP 1.96

-54.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$23.21 IMP 17.22

-80.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$12.21 IMP 9.06

-15.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$4.44 IMP 3.29

-63.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$4.40 IMP 3.26

-34.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$2.73 IMP 2.03

-78.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$5.26 IMP 3.91

2.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.52 IMP 1.13

145.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$81.5 IMP 60.5

-92.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$1.96 IMP 1.46

-21.43%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$44.0K IMP 32.6K

-48.75%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$44.1K IMP 32.8K

-40.97%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$348 IMP 258

-73.76%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$61.9 IMP 45.92

-59.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$73.0 IMP 54.2

-57.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$16.24 IMP 12.05

-70.07%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$1,804 IMP 1,339

-87.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$53.8K IMP 39.9K

-92.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$100 IMP 74.3

-52.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$46.01 IMP 34.14

-3.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$113 IMP 84.0

-29.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$70.6 IMP 52.4

31.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.76

140.55%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Ramsey: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $121 in Ramsey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $351 – 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 13%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,138 in Ramsey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $1,425 in Ramsey. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,804 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 $1,266, than in Ramsey at $1,425. 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.