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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $352 in Ratlam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $522 in Ratlam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $691 in Ratlam, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 258% more than Ratlam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ratlam are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ratlam 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$1.96 ₹184

495.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$6.80 ₹638

515.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$2.95 ₹277

252.54%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$1.58 ₹148

128.48%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$0.36 ₹33.99

308.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$0.13 ₹12.42

600.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.19 ₹206

38.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$5.30 ₹497

-15.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$0.62 ₹58.2

122.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$0.48 ₹45.09

283.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$0.72 ₹67.5

123.61%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$0.82 ₹77.0

213.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.90 ₹460

73.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$2.31 ₹217

267.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$2.36 ₹222

15.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$0.45 ₹42.39

233.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.01 ₹94.8

94.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$0.80 ₹74.9

165.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.16 ₹14.95

1062.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.22 ₹20.51

886.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.50 ₹46.76

114.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.34 ₹31.71

208.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$3.57 ₹335

17.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$5.19 ₹487

98.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.61 ₹151

3.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$2.24 ₹210

11.16%

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

$5.64 ₹530

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.28 ₹26.01

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$8.62 ₹809

204.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.70 ₹65.9

342.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$1.49 ₹140

117.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.18 ₹111

6.78%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$15.3K ₹1.4M

96.73%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$19.9K ₹1.9M

17.54%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$28.76 ₹2,700

192.04%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$3.96 ₹371

460.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$5.89 ₹553

403.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$5.91 ₹555

790.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$6.90 ₹648

165.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$3.42 ₹321

44.74%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$62.3 ₹5,849

218.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$1,092 ₹102.5K

387.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$7.91 ₹743

354.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$9.39 ₹881

326.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$17.64 ₹1,656

346.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$29.04 ₹2,726

197.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$136 ₹12.7K

619.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$92.2 ₹8,655

410.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$175 ₹16.4K

814.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$144 ₹13.5K

746.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$969 ₹91.0K

316.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$517 ₹48.5K

1173.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$401 ₹37.6K

78.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

9.1

25.49%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Ratlam: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $136 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 78% 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 $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $7 in Ratlam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $96 – 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 258%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $528 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $352 in Ratlam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 205% less in Ratlam. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Ratlam, where all-in costs run around $352, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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.