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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $534 per month in Ragama vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $867 per month in Ragama vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,201 per month in Ragama vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ragama is about 58% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ragama and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ragama 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 LKR 1,369

$11.87 MX$207

-65.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.46 LKR 8,582

$42.90 MX$749

-40.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 LKR 2,790

$10.65 MX$186

-22.25%

Cappuccino

$2.76 LKR 929

$3.45 MX$60.2

-20.00%

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

$0.73 LKR 247

$1.50 MX$26.24

-51.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 LKR 128

$0.95 MX$16.56

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 LKR 802

$3.03 MX$52.8

-21.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 LKR 1,161

$4.61 MX$80.4

-25.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 LKR 551

$1.38 MX$24.01

18.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 LKR 178

$1.85 MX$32.24

-71.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.75 LKR 254

$1.61 MX$28.11

-53.42%

Eggs

$2.13 LKR 717

$2.59 MX$45.26

-17.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.01 LKR 4,720

$8.26 MX$144

69.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.60 LKR 1,550

$8.37 MX$146

-45.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.90 LKR 2,662

$10.66 MX$186

-25.89%

Apples (1kg)

$7.43 LKR 2,504

$2.63 MX$45.89

182.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 LKR 372

$1.49 MX$25.96

-26.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.62 LKR 1,894

$1.92 MX$33.50

192.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 LKR 421

$2.09 MX$36.41

-40.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 LKR 392

$1.86 MX$32.42

-37.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 LKR 400

$2.26 MX$39.47

-47.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 LKR 404

$1.06 MX$18.54

13.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 LKR 201

$1.09 MX$18.98

-44.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 LKR 3,403

$4.15 MX$72.4

143.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.58 LKR 4,240

$10.39 MX$181

21.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 LKR 682

$1.72 MX$30.09

17.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 LKR 992

$2.61 MX$45.60

12.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.41 LKR 138

$3.13 MX$54.6

-86.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 LKR 109

$2.51 MX$43.82

-87.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 LKR 189

$3.15 MX$55.0

-82.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 LKR 407

$1.27 MX$22.25

-4.72%

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

$26.6K LKR 9.0M

$30.4K MX$530.1K

-12.48%

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

$34.9K LKR 11.8M

$23.6K MX$411.3K

47.99%

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

$60.7 LKR 20.4K

$83.0 MX$1,449

-26.92%

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

$4.27 LKR 1,438

$22.71 MX$396

-81.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.07 LKR 5,079

$29.46 MX$514

-48.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

Cinema Ticket

$3.38 LKR 1,138

$4.93 MX$86.0

-31.44%

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

$36.60 LKR 12.3K

$197 MX$3,444

-81.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$444 LKR 149.7K

$5,280 MX$92.1K

-91.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.18 LKR 9,159

$36.90 MX$644

-26.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.47 LKR 6,561

$39.89 MX$696

-51.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.4 LKR 23.4K

$80.0 MX$1,396

-13.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.05 LKR 12.8K

$89.5 MX$1,561

-57.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.45

11.42

44.05%

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

Last update for Ragama: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Ragama versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $253 in Ragama vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Ragama vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 138%, 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 $800 per month in Ragama and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $534 in Ragama and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $36.60 per month in Ragama and $197 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Ragama, where all-in costs run around $534, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Ragama it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ragama – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ragama. 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.