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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,745 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,761 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,777 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 26% cheaper than Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Ras al-Khaimah is 27% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$12.04 AED 44.22

-2.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$45.52 AED 167

2.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$7.48 AED 27.45

55.75%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$5.51 AED 20.24

-25.77%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$1.11 AED 4.07

23.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.44 AED 1.60

88.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$10.06 AED 36.94

-66.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$9.78 AED 35.93

-29.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.71 AED 6.29

1.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$2.06 AED 7.56

9.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.88 AED 6.91

-5.85%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$2.42 AED 8.88

12.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$12.50 AED 45.90

-26.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$9.68 AED 35.56

-7.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$15.75 AED 57.9

-20.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$1.99 AED 7.30

51.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.59 AED 5.85

-1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$1.50 AED 5.51

42.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$1.34 AED 4.93

68.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$0.97 AED 3.56

106.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$0.92 AED 3.38

123.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.75 AED 6.44

-32.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.48 AED 1.75

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$6.77 AED 24.87

-31.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$13.66 AED 50.2

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$2.52 AED 9.25

-35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$2.86 AED 10.49

0.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$2.13 AED 7.82

-73.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$112 AED 411

-73.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$1.72 AED 6.30

216.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.79 AED 2.89

368.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$7.96 AED 29.23

-24.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$0.89 AED 3.26

74.16%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$46.3K AED 169.9K

-51.74%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$21.8K AED 80.2K

18.86%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$124 AED 456

-28.27%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$45.14 AED 166

-44.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$79.6 AED 292

-60.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$57.5 AED 211

17.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$40.71 AED 150

-28.96%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$13.07 AED 48.00

-61.36%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$296 AED 1,086

-23.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$4,411 AED 16.2K

-4.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$82.5 AED 303

-42.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$52.4 AED 192

-14.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$127 AED 466

-35.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$115 AED 422

-19.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$754 AED 2,768

41.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$581 AED 2,135

-30.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,642 AED 6,029

17.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$1,268 AED 4,655

2.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$4,911 AED 18.0K

-18.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,949 AED 7,157

240.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$1,584 AED 5,818

-52.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.92

132.72%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $754 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 112% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.00 in Ras al-Khaimah. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $283 in Ras al-Khaimah – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 35%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,617 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,745 in Ras al-Khaimah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 275% 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 $1,293, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,745. 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.