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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $832 in Ratchaburi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,391 in Ratchaburi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,949 in Ratchaburi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 51% more than Ratchaburi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ratchaburi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ratchaburi 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.73 ฿124

214.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$31.01 ฿1,035

35.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.05 ฿202

73.72%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.06 ฿35.48

238.68%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.30 ฿9.93

403.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.32 ฿10.72

187.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.36 ฿78.8

25.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.14 ฿71.5

106.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.74 ฿58.0

-19.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.15 ฿38.49

63.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.60 ฿20.02

160.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.29 ฿76.5

13.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$15.46 ฿516

-46.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.39 ฿79.8

249.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$6.94 ฿231

56.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$3.15 ฿105

-13.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.64 ฿21.49

135.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.20 ฿40.02

55.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.45 ฿14.97

386.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.96 ฿32.12

93.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.84 ฿28.03

165.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.60 ฿20.08

78.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.52 ฿17.51

109.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$3.40 ฿113

23.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$17.75 ฿592

-41.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.75 ฿58.3

-5.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.19 ฿73.2

19.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.89 ฿29.56

-39.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$31.31 ฿1,044

-16.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.06 ฿35.28

190.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.46 ฿15.33

421.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$3.30 ฿110

-5.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.97 ฿32.43

35.05%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$28.5K ฿950.6K

4.60%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$21.3K ฿710.4K

9.52%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$62.3 ฿2,077

30.55%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$13.80 ฿461

63.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$10.92 ฿364

175.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$48.40 ฿1,615

9.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$12.03 ฿401

52.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$4.09 ฿136

20.29%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$296 ฿9,889

-32.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$9,407 ฿313.8K

-44.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$30.00 ฿1,001

19.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$19.60 ฿654

104.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$100 ฿3,340

-20.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$43.36 ฿1,446

99.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$421 ฿14.0K

132.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$280 ฿9,349

67.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$797 ฿26.6K

107.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$662 ฿22.1K

81.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,865 ฿62.2K

112.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,390 ฿46.4K

375.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

185.50%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ratchaburi: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $421 in Ratchaburi. 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 $31.00 in Ratchaburi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $208 – making Ratchaburi 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 Ratchaburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 51%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,248 in Ratchaburi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ratchaburi, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $832 in Ratchaburi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% less in Ratchaburi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ratchaburi, where all-in costs run around $832, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Ratchaburi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ratchaburi – 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 Ratchaburi. 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.