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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,943 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,976 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,008 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 35% cheaper than Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Ras al-Khaimah is 45% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$13.47 AED 49.46

-10.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$49.37 AED 181

-15.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$6.96 AED 25.56

54.45%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$5.55 AED 20.37

-36.94%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$1.32 AED 4.83

9.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.72 AED 2.63

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$10.87 AED 39.92

-72.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$10.05 AED 36.91

-55.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.57 AED 5.75

-8.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$1.45 AED 5.32

26.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.70 AED 6.24

-7.65%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$2.21 AED 8.11

13.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$12.84 AED 47.15

-35.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$7.59 AED 27.87

11.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$15.28 AED 56.1

-30.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$2.19 AED 8.03

19.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.76 AED 6.47

-18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.51 AED 5.54

29.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$1.31 AED 4.80

59.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.97 AED 3.55

90.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$1.03 AED 3.80

110.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$1.80 AED 6.60

-42.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.51 AED 1.86

109.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$6.29 AED 23.10

-34.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$13.51 AED 49.60

-24.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$2.63 AED 9.67

-36.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.96 AED 10.87

-14.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$2.36 AED 8.68

-78.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$64.3 AED 236

-59.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.54 AED 5.65

109.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$0.93 AED 3.41

159.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$8.41 AED 30.90

-61.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.80 AED 2.93

65.00%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$46.3K AED 169.9K

-35.80%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$22.4K AED 82.3K

5.56%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$149 AED 549

-45.11%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$45.04 AED 165

-49.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$101 AED 371

-70.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$56.3 AED 207

-7.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$41.13 AED 151

-54.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$13.44 AED 49.35

-62.95%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$248 AED 912

-20.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$5,208 AED 19.1K

2.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$117 AED 430

-69.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$53.7 AED 197

-24.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$137 AED 502

-42.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$136 AED 498

-34.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$718 AED 2,637

31.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$783 AED 2,874

-39.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$1,994 AED 7,322

-17.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$1,512 AED 5,554

-19.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$4,828 AED 17.7K

-16.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$1,965 AED 7,217

229.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$1,571 AED 5,770

-58.38%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $718 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 140% 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 $49.00 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 55%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,914 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,943 in Ras al-Khaimah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 147% 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 $1,256, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,943. 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.