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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $352 in Ratlam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $514 in Ratlam, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $676 in Ratlam, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 261% 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 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$1.94 ₹185

511.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$747

$7.06 ₹673

507.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$2.90 ₹276

267.24%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.1

$1.58 ₹150

118.35%

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

$1.50 MX$26.19

$0.33 ₹31.87

354.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.52

$0.17 ₹16.15

458.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.7

$2.28 ₹217

32.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.3

$5.15 ₹491

-10.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.96

$0.60 ₹57.3

130.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.18

$0.45 ₹42.86

311.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.06

$0.66 ₹63.1

143.94%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.18

$0.88 ₹83.9

194.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$4.73 ₹451

74.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$2.39 ₹227

250.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.80

$2.33 ₹222

12.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.92

$0.45 ₹43.21

231.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.44

$0.97 ₹92.1

97.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.34

$0.82 ₹78.3

154.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.35

$0.17 ₹16.55

994.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.39

$0.22 ₹20.95

927.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.51

$0.54 ₹51.1

96.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.95

$0.36 ₹34.74

202.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.3

$3.39 ₹323

22.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$7.87 ₹750

32.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.03

$1.52 ₹145

13.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.52

$2.13 ₹203

22.54%

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

$5.74 ₹547

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.44

$0.30 ₹28.96

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$469

$8.67 ₹826

210.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$0.69 ₹66.0

353.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.73

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.9

$1.48 ₹141

112.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.21

$1.20 ₹114

5.83%

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

$30.4K MX$529.1K

$15.4K ₹1.5M

97.43%

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

$23.6K MX$410.5K

$20.2K ₹1.9M

16.41%

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

$83.0 MX$1,446

$28.65 ₹2,729

189.70%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$3.88 ₹369

485.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$513

$5.70 ₹543

416.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$888

$5.86 ₹558

770.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$319

$6.82 ₹650

168.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$85.8

$3.58 ₹341

37.71%

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

$197 MX$3,437

$63.4 ₹6,041

211.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.0K

$1,084 ₹103.3K

386.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$643

$8.24 ₹785

347.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$695

$9.07 ₹864

339.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,394

$17.56 ₹1,672

355.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,559

$29.53 ₹2,813

202.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$134 ₹12.8K

611.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,311

$92.0 ₹8,761

418.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$174 ₹16.6K

844.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.3K

$148 ₹14.1K

729.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.3K

$2,270 ₹216.2K

72.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.5K

$669 ₹63.7K

865.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

$386 ₹36.7K

72.97%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ratlam: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $134 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 73% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $7.00 in Ratlam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $100 – 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 261%, 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 $1,906 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 $1,271 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 211% 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 $1,271. 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.