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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $837 in Rayong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,403 in Rayong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,970 in Rayong, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 51% more than Rayong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Rayong are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Rayong 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.06 ฿102

283.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$18.38 ฿613

127.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.12 ฿204

71.73%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.47 ฿82.4

45.34%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.54 ฿17.97

179.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.29 ฿9.68

217.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.80 ฿60.2

64.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.99 ฿99.8

47.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.78 ฿59.5

-21.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.26 ฿42.12

49.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.20 ฿39.87

30.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.24 ฿74.8

16.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$18.78 ฿626

-55.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.11 ฿70.4

295.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$9.60 ฿320

13.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.49 ฿83.2

8.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.22 ฿40.56

23.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$2.10 ฿70.0

-10.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.11 ฿37.02

97.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.20 ฿40.06

55.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.20 ฿40.16

85.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.76 ฿25.23

40.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.42 ฿13.87

159.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$4.34 ฿145

-3.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$17.94 ฿599

-41.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.84 ฿61.3

-9.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$3.35 ฿112

-22.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.90 ฿30.17

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.11 ฿36.95

177.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.20 ฿39.87

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$6.22 ฿207

-49.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.20 ฿40.00

9.17%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$37.4K ฿1.2M

-20.23%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$29.1K ฿969.6K

-19.76%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$55.9 ฿1,864

45.45%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$12.44 ฿415

81.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$17.51 ฿584

71.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$69.4 ฿2,314

-23.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$18.32 ฿611

0.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$7.92 ฿264

-37.88%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$611 ฿20.4K

-67.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$9,302 ฿310.3K

-44.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$49.59 ฿1,654

-27.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$38.60 ฿1,288

3.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$78.2 ฿2,609

1.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$59.4 ฿1,981

45.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$415 ฿13.9K

135.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$233 ฿7,786

101.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$800 ฿26.7K

106.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$664 ฿22.1K

81.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$2,033 ฿67.8K

224.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$757 ฿25.2K

-10.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.5

107.64%

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 Rayong: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $415 in Rayong. 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 12% higher in Rayong, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $18.00 in Rayong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $239 – making Rayong 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 Rayong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 51%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,255 in Rayong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rayong, 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 $837 in Rayong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $611 in Rayong. 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 Rayong, where all-in costs run around $837, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Rayong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rayong – 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 Rayong. 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.