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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,290 in Ramsey, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,143 in Ramsey, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,995 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 5% lower, Ramsey 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$29.36 IMP 21.81

-60.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$109 IMP 81.3

-61.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$10.14 IMP 7.53

3.65%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$5.31 IMP 3.95

-32.39%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.82 IMP 2.10

-46.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.00 IMP 1.48

-54.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$6.50 IMP 4.83

-54.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$6.19 IMP 4.60

-28.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.99 IMP 1.48

-29.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$2.03 IMP 1.51

-7.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.92 IMP 1.43

-18.75%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$4.39 IMP 3.26

-40.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$6.68 IMP 4.97

24.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$8.12 IMP 6.04

2.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$11.85 IMP 8.80

-8.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.33 IMP 1.73

16.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.72 IMP 1.28

-12.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.68 IMP 1.99

-30.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.92 IMP 2.17

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$2.31 IMP 1.72

-19.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$2.60 IMP 1.93

-14.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.59 IMP 1.18

-32.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$2.04 IMP 1.52

-46.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$22.17 IMP 16.47

-81.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.14 IMP 9.02

-14.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$3.94 IMP 2.93

-57.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.64 IMP 2.70

-28.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$2.67 IMP 1.99

-79.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$5.25 IMP 3.90

-41.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.47 IMP 1.09

63.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$81.2 IMP 60.3

-96.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$2.10 IMP 1.56

-37.62%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$34.8K IMP 25.8K

-14.30%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$35.3K IMP 26.2K

-33.93%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$305 IMP 226

-73.32%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$39.15 IMP 29.09

-42.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$69.2 IMP 51.4

-56.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$13.41 IMP 9.97

-63.31%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$1,332 IMP 990

-84.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$31.5K IMP 23.4K

-83.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$93.3 IMP 69.3

-61.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$42.06 IMP 31.25

-4.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$122 IMP 90.5

-34.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$77.7 IMP 57.8

11.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ramsey: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $109 in Ramsey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $303 – 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,936 in Ramsey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,290 in Ramsey. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,332 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 $1,260, than in Ramsey at $1,290. 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.