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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $841 in Ratchaburi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,397 in Ratchaburi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,952 in Ratchaburi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 53% more than Ratchaburi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ratchaburi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Ratchaburi 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.74 ฿122

219.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$30.69 ฿1,004

39.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.06 ฿198

74.75%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.10 ฿36.05

229.09%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.30 ฿9.72

390.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.33 ฿10.64

184.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.29 ฿75.0

34.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.21 ฿72.1

101.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.75 ฿57.1

-18.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.15 ฿37.45

63.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$0.65 ฿21.23

150.77%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.33 ฿76.3

13.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$15.65 ฿512

-47.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.51 ฿82.0

230.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$6.62 ฿217

67.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$3.04 ฿99.3

-12.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.59 ฿19.42

154.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.26 ฿41.27

57.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.41 ฿13.50

407.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.89 ฿29.12

101.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.88 ฿28.71

147.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.64 ฿21.08

68.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.57 ฿18.61

82.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$3.49 ฿114

13.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$18.51 ฿605

-44.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.75 ฿57.2

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.14 ฿69.9

16.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.96 ฿31.45

-45.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$30.76 ฿1,006

-12.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.09 ฿35.74

188.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.48 ฿15.82

400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$3.47 ฿113

-10.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.98 ฿32.01

29.59%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$27.7K ฿906.4K

11.41%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$21.9K ฿716.0K

6.49%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$60.9 ฿1,993

34.57%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$13.75 ฿450

63.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$10.70 ฿350

177.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$48.41 ฿1,583

7.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$11.96 ฿391

56.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$4.04 ฿132

23.02%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$290 ฿9,484

-31.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$9,215 ฿301.3K

-42.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$30.08 ฿984

20.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$19.94 ฿652

100.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$102 ฿3,340

-21.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$43.07 ฿1,408

106.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$418 ฿13.7K

130.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$281 ฿9,181

65.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$822 ฿26.9K

94.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$649 ฿21.2K

86.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,290 ฿74.9K

72.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$1,418 ฿46.4K

354.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ratchaburi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $418 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Ratchaburi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $210 – 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 53%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,262 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $841 in Ratchaburi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 14% 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 $841, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.