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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,312 in Ramsey, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,126 in Ramsey, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,940 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 4% lower, Ramsey 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$29.60 IMP 21.94

-59.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$110 IMP 81.5

-61.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.94 IMP 7.37

6.54%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$5.58 IMP 4.13

-35.13%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.76 IMP 2.05

-46.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.93 IMP 1.43

-51.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$6.74 IMP 4.99

-54.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$6.01 IMP 4.45

-25.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$2.00 IMP 1.48

-28.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.96 IMP 1.45

-4.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.99 IMP 1.47

-18.09%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$4.29 IMP 3.18

-38.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.83 IMP 5.06

20.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$8.39 IMP 6.22

-1.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$12.02 IMP 8.90

-7.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.31 IMP 1.71

14.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.72 IMP 1.28

-12.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$2.66 IMP 1.97

-25.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$2.82 IMP 2.09

-26.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$2.29 IMP 1.70

-21.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$2.49 IMP 1.85

-12.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.60 IMP 1.19

-32.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$2.03 IMP 1.51

-48.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$22.33 IMP 16.55

-82.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$11.99 IMP 8.88

-14.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$3.93 IMP 2.91

-55.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$3.81 IMP 2.82

-34.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$2.74 IMP 2.03

-81.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$5.20 IMP 3.86

-39.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.53 IMP 1.13

56.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$82.1 IMP 60.8

-96.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$2.03 IMP 1.51

-37.44%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$34.7K IMP 25.7K

-11.11%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$34.6K IMP 25.7K

-32.65%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$302 IMP 224

-72.87%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$38.50 IMP 28.53

-41.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$71.2 IMP 52.8

-58.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$13.61 IMP 10.08

-63.48%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$1,332 IMP 987

-85.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$32.0K IMP 23.7K

-83.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$96.5 IMP 71.5

-62.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$41.41 IMP 30.69

-3.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$124 IMP 92.1

-35.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$76.2 IMP 56.4

16.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ramsey: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $110 in Ramsey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,968 in Ramsey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,312 in Ramsey. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $198 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 $1,287, than in Ramsey at $1,312. 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.