Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ras al-Khaimah Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ras al-Khaimah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,948 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,021 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,093 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 33% cheaper than Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Ras al-Khaimah is 45% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$13.55 AED 49.77

-13.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$49.69 AED 183

-16.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.61 AED 24.26

60.97%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$5.63 AED 20.67

-37.48%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.32 AED 4.83

14.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.68 AED 2.49

42.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$10.99 AED 40.38

-73.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$10.23 AED 37.59

-56.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.63 AED 6.00

-15.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.47 AED 5.39

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.72 AED 6.31

-4.65%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.31 AED 8.49

8.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$12.89 AED 47.33

-35.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$7.63 AED 28.02

9.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$15.03 AED 55.2

-28.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.21 AED 8.14

17.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.80 AED 6.61

-18.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.50 AED 5.50

26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.26 AED 4.62

65.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.96 AED 3.53

85.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.00 AED 3.67

119.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.76 AED 6.45

-40.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.50 AED 1.83

116.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$6.45 AED 23.68

-36.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$13.55 AED 49.78

-23.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$2.64 AED 9.70

-35.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.88 AED 10.56

-10.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$2.34 AED 8.61

-78.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$63.0 AED 231

-58.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$1.46 AED 5.35

123.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.94 AED 3.45

164.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$8.38 AED 30.78

-61.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.75 AED 2.76

74.67%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$44.9K AED 164.8K

-32.51%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$22.8K AED 83.8K

2.67%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$148 AED 544

-44.05%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$44.24 AED 163

-49.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$99.6 AED 366

-70.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$56.2 AED 207

-8.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$40.33 AED 148

-54.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$13.35 AED 49.02

-62.02%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$244 AED 895

-17.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$5,084 AED 18.7K

2.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$116 AED 426

-68.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$53.5 AED 196

-25.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$137 AED 503

-42.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$136 AED 500

-36.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$720 AED 2,644

35.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$765 AED 2,810

-38.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,972 AED 7,242

-16.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,524 AED 5,599

-19.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$4,839 AED 17.8K

-18.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,944 AED 7,140

234.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,605 AED 5,896

-58.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.88

134.02%

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 Ras al-Khaimah: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $720 in Ras al-Khaimah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 142% higher in Ras al-Khaimah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.0 in Ras al-Khaimah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $267 – 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 Ras al-Khaimah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ras al-Khaimah is pricier by about 50%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $2,922 in Ras al-Khaimah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,948 in Ras al-Khaimah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 138% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,948. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ras al-Khaimah 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, Ras al-Khaimah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.