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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $356 in Ratlam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $525 in Ratlam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $695 in Ratlam, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 254% 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 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$1.90 ₹182

516.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$6.83 ₹653

513.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$2.97 ₹284

253.87%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$1.57 ₹150

128.66%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$0.34 ₹32.21

344.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$0.16 ₹14.99

475.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$2.24 ₹214

32.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$5.29 ₹506

-16.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$0.66 ₹62.7

112.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$0.49 ₹46.59

283.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$0.72 ₹68.8

116.67%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$0.83 ₹79.3

214.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$4.71 ₹450

76.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$2.40 ₹229

247.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$2.38 ₹227

13.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$0.45 ₹43.15

235.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$0.95 ₹90.8

96.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$0.77 ₹73.8

184.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$0.17 ₹16.67

994.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$0.22 ₹20.92

913.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.54 ₹51.9

98.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.36 ₹34.82

202.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$3.41 ₹326

22.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$7.85 ₹750

32.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.54 ₹148

7.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$2.24 ₹214

16.52%

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

$5.58 ₹534

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.30 ₹29.04

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$8.76 ₹838

198.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.64 ₹60.9

381.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$1.47 ₹140

112.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.16 ₹111

12.93%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$15.2K ₹1.5M

95.69%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$20.5K ₹2.0M

14.01%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$29.64 ₹2,835

174.22%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$3.90 ₹373

478.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$5.64 ₹540

432.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$5.83 ₹558

807.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$6.92 ₹662

165.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$3.58 ₹343

37.43%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$62.2 ₹5,950

222.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$1,118 ₹106.9K

362.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$8.19 ₹783

338.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$9.38 ₹897

327.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$17.61 ₹1,684

352.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$28.77 ₹2,752

200.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$138 ₹13.2K

606.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$93.5 ₹8,944

403.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$174 ₹16.6K

848.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$143 ₹13.6K

744.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$2,257 ₹215.9K

75.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$684 ₹65.4K

865.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$388 ₹37.1K

74.45%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ratlam: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $138 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 74% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $7.00 in Ratlam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $101 – 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 254%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $533 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $356 in Ratlam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 199% 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 $356, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.