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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $889 in Ranong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,536 in Ranong, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,184 in Ranong, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 46% more than Ranong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ranong are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Ranong 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.50 ฿147

160.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$45.30 ฿1,480

-8.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.60 ฿281

23.72%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$3.02 ฿98.7

16.56%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.69 ฿22.49

118.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.39 ฿12.80

148.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.47 ฿80.8

19.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$3.67 ฿120

21.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$2.18 ฿71.3

-36.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.34 ฿43.87

41.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$2.23 ฿72.7

-26.46%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$2.26 ฿73.9

11.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$19.48 ฿636

-57.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$1.38 ฿45.01

504.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$13.21 ฿431

-18.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$3.25 ฿106

-20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.64 ฿53.5

-10.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$2.29 ฿74.7

-17.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$0.93 ฿30.46

123.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$1.53 ฿49.84

16.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$1.51 ฿49.31

45.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$1.01 ฿33.11

2.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.52 ฿17.09

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$4.29 ฿140

-4.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$19.37 ฿632

-46.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$1.78 ฿58.3

-3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$2.76 ฿90.0

-6.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.95 ฿30.89

-46.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$1.07 ฿34.80

204.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$1.04 ฿33.81

139.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$13.66 ฿446

-76.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$1.15 ฿37.58

13.91%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$27.6K ฿900.5K

9.82%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$33.8K ฿1.1M

-30.63%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$36.92 ฿1,206

124.46%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$13.70 ฿448

62.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$12.51 ฿409

134.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$49.88 ฿1,629

3.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$12.13 ฿396

51.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$8.88 ฿290

-42.91%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$699 ฿22.8K

-71.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$16.1K ฿524.9K

-67.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$27.62 ฿902

33.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$15.26 ฿498

160.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$113 ฿3,705

-30.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$37.28 ฿1,217

133.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$426 ฿13.9K

128.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$290 ฿9,463

61.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$829 ฿27.1K

98.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$649 ฿21.2K

88.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$2,058 ฿67.2K

91.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$1,399 ฿45.7K

364.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.33

114.26%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ranong: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $426 in Ranong. 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Ranong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $269 – 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 Ranong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 46%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,333 in Ranong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ranong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $889 in Ranong. 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 $699 in Ranong. 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 Ranong, where all-in costs run around $889, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Ranong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ranong – 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 Ranong. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.