Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ramallah and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,204 a month against $1,940 in Ramallah, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

94

Cost of Living Index in Ramallah
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Ramallah Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Ramallah

🇵🇸 Palestine

$1,940

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ramallah and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ramallah and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,940 per month in Ramallah vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ramallah $1,940
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $2,803 per month in Ramallah vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ramallah $2,803
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $3,666 per month in Ramallah vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ramallah $3,666
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Ramallah costs about 61% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Ramallah sits 43% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$205

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.0 ₪204

$43.37 MX$814

49.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.72 ₪39.93

$11.78 MX$221

7.98%

Cappuccino

$4.99 ₪15.67

$3.81 MX$71.5

30.97%

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

$1.92 ₪6.04

$1.28 MX$24.07

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ₪4.98

$0.78 MX$14.70

103.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.65 ₪30.28

$3.17 MX$59.5

204.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 ₪25.03

$4.93 MX$92.7

61.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.12 ₪6.67

$1.41 MX$26.40

50.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 ₪8.22

$2.22 MX$41.62

18.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 ₪9.34

$1.42 MX$26.61

109.86%

Eggs

$3.78 ₪11.86

$2.52 MX$47.36

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.39 ₪35.73

$7.26 MX$136

56.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 ₪19.96

$7.70 MX$144

-17.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$26.28 ₪82.5

$12.69 MX$238

107.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 ₪15.08

$2.78 MX$52.3

73.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₪5.15

$1.37 MX$25.68

19.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ₪5.15

$2.55 MX$47.89

-35.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 ₪6.92

$2.12 MX$39.86

4.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 ₪5.96

$1.94 MX$36.39

-2.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 ₪5.14

$1.89 MX$35.41

-13.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 ₪7.32

$1.15 MX$21.53

102.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₪3.00

$1.18 MX$22.13

-19.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.6

Wine (Bottle)

$22.97 ₪72.1

$9.95 MX$187

130.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 ₪8.21

$1.58 MX$29.73

65.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ₪7.19

$2.67 MX$50.1

-14.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 ₪5.17

$0.55 MX$10.39

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.5 ₪259

$26.62 MX$500

209.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.85 ₪15.21

$4.97 MX$93.3

-2.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.88 ₪15.33

$3.33 MX$62.5

46.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.55 ₪8.01

$1.44 MX$27.11

77.08%

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

$57.9K ₪181.7K

$20.7K MX$388.0K

180.26%

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

$89.3K ₪280.2K

$23.5K MX$440.5K

280.50%

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

$318 ₪999

$84.8 MX$1,592

275.28%

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

$29.76 ₪93.4

$23.41 MX$439

27.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.22 ₪120

$28.66 MX$538

33.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$90.4 ₪284

$57.1 MX$1,071

58.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.35 ₪60.7

$28.91 MX$543

-33.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 ₪35.81

$5.14 MX$96.5

121.98%

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

$207 MX$3,878

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,158 ₪25.6K

$3,927 MX$73.7K

107.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$814

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$97.7 ₪307

$41.44 MX$778

135.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₪411

$74.2 MX$1,393

76.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 ₪304

$89.3 MX$1,676

8.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,066 ₪3,344

$980 MX$18.4K

8.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 ₪1,995

$381 MX$7,150

66.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 ₪4,513

$1,708 MX$32.1K

-15.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$970 ₪3,043

$1,075 MX$20.2K

-9.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,190 ₪3,736

$3,943 MX$74.0K

-69.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$895 ₪2,809

$6,158 MX$115.6K

-85.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,275 ₪4,001

$735 MX$13.8K

73.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.45

-53.45%

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

Last update for Ramallah: October 24, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ramallah

$636 32.8%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 40.1% $255

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ramallah

$386 19.9%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 64.6% $249

Groceries & Markets

Ramallah

$364 18.8%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 30% $109

Eating Out

Ramallah

$176 * 9.1%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 14.8% $26

Clothing & Footwear

Ramallah

$147 * 7.6%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 23.8% $35

Getting Around

Ramallah

$118 6.1%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 57.4% $68

Sport & Entertainment

Ramallah

$113 5.8%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 40.5% $46

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,066 in Ramallah versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Ramallah. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65 in Ramallah versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $364 vs $255 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇸 Ramallah

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

15:52 3:52 PM

08:52 8:52 AM

7 h behind Ramallah

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

43,880 Capital

149,923

💱 Currency

Israeli New Shekel ILS ₪

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 ILS = 0.319 USD

1 ILS = 0.285 EUR

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to ILS – Israeli New Shekel Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇱 Israeli New Shekel (₪)

Israeli New Shekel exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3.14 ILS (1 ILS = 0.319 USD). 1 EUR = 3.5 ILS (1 ILS = 0.285 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to ILS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ramallah Playa del Carmen 11,540 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Ramallah
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Yes – Ramallah is pricier by about 61%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,910 per month in Ramallah and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,066 in Ramallah and $980 in Playa del Carmen. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,940 in Ramallah and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Playa del Carmen about 38% cheaper.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65 in Ramallah and $43 in Playa del Carmen. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,204, than in Ramallah at $1,940. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ramallah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,204 in Playa del Carmen to $1,940 in Ramallah. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ramallah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.