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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $323 in Ratlam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $472 in Ratlam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $621 in Ratlam, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 304% more than Ratlam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ratlam are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ratlam 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$2.12 ₹203

464.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$6.16 ₹589

669.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$2.70 ₹258

335.19%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$1.49 ₹142

176.51%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.36 ₹33.95

288.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.14 ₹13.00

550.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.06 ₹196

55.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.12 ₹298

126.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$0.63 ₹59.7

166.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.43 ₹41.37

400.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$0.70 ₹66.5

152.86%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$0.92 ₹88.2

206.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$5.10 ₹487

80.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$2.05 ₹196

350.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.14 ₹204

37.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$0.41 ₹39.10

285.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$0.99 ₹95.1

124.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.41 ₹38.88

475.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.17 ₹16.38

1070.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.22 ₹21.03

800.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.22 ₹21.06

463.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.33 ₹31.56

266.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.68 ₹256

71.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.68 ₹734

36.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.58 ₹151

6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.61 ₹249

6.13%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$5.46 ₹522

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.76 ₹73.0

589.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.18 ₹17.03

1927.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$1.30 ₹124

344.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.10 ₹105

40.00%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$21.4K ₹2.0M

6.58%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$23.1K ₹2.2M

11.58%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$26.97 ₹2,576

236.19%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$4.32 ₹413

483.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$5.36 ₹512

492.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$5.38 ₹514

1178.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$3.19 ₹305

52.35%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$67.9 ₹6,484

232.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$999 ₹95.4K

319.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$7.59 ₹725

524.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$8.68 ₹829

400.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$15.81 ₹1,510

407.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$26.69 ₹2,550

242.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$123 ₹11.7K

783.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$83.7 ₹7,992

388.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$158 ₹15.1K

1150.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$130 ₹12.4K

886.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,301 ₹219.8K

75.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$682 ₹65.2K

882.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$387 ₹36.9K

99.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

8.73

31.16%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ratlam: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $123 in Ratlam. 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 100% higher in Playa del Carmen, 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 $6.00 in Ratlam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $96.0 – making Ratlam 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 Ratlam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 304%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $485 in Ratlam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ratlam, 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $323 in Ratlam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $67.9 in Ratlam. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ratlam, where all-in costs run around $323, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Ratlam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ratlam – 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 Ratlam. 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.