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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,312 per month in Ramsey vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Ramsey vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,940 per month in Ramsey vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ramsey costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ramsey and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ramsey 2% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$29.60 IMP 21.94

$11.94 MX$209

147.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 IMP 81.5

$42.75 MX$748

157.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 IMP 7.37

$10.59 MX$185

-6.14%

Cappuccino

$5.58 IMP 4.13

$3.62 MX$63.4

54.14%

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

$2.76 IMP 2.05

$1.47 MX$25.69

87.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 IMP 1.43

$0.94 MX$16.51

105.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.74 IMP 4.99

$3.09 MX$54.1

118.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 IMP 4.45

$4.46 MX$78.0

34.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 IMP 1.48

$1.43 MX$24.94

39.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 IMP 1.45

$1.88 MX$32.97

4.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 IMP 1.47

$1.63 MX$28.50

22.09%

Eggs

$4.29 IMP 3.18

$2.64 MX$46.26

62.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 IMP 5.06

$8.21 MX$144

-16.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 IMP 6.22

$8.29 MX$145

1.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.02 IMP 8.90

$11.10 MX$194

8.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 IMP 1.71

$2.65 MX$46.40

-12.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 IMP 1.28

$1.50 MX$26.26

14.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 IMP 1.97

$1.99 MX$34.79

33.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.82 IMP 2.09

$2.08 MX$36.33

35.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 IMP 1.70

$1.79 MX$31.29

27.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.49 IMP 1.85

$2.18 MX$38.09

14.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 IMP 1.19

$1.08 MX$18.84

48.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 IMP 1.51

$1.04 MX$18.15

95.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$22.33 IMP 16.55

$3.97 MX$69.5

462.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.99 IMP 8.88

$10.20 MX$179

17.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.93 IMP 2.91

$1.73 MX$30.22

127.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 IMP 2.82

$2.50 MX$43.71

52.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 IMP 2.03

$0.52 MX$9.07

426.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 IMP 3.86

$3.14 MX$55.0

65.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IMP 1.13

$2.40 MX$42.04

-36.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$82.1 IMP 60.8

$3.09 MX$54.0

2555.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 IMP 1.51

$1.27 MX$22.28

59.84%

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

$34.7K IMP 25.7K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

12.50%

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

$34.6K IMP 25.7K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

48.47%

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

$302 IMP 224

$82.0 MX$1,435

268.63%

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

$38.50 IMP 28.53

$22.45 MX$393

71.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.2 IMP 52.8

$29.66 MX$519

140.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 IMP 10.08

$4.97 MX$87.0

173.84%

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

$1,332 IMP 987

$198 MX$3,462

573.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K IMP 23.7K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

506.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$96.5 IMP 71.5

$36.34 MX$636

165.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.41 IMP 30.69

$40.05 MX$701

3.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 IMP 92.1

$79.9 MX$1,398

55.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.2 IMP 56.4

$88.9 MX$1,555

-14.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.66

11.42

-67.95%

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

Last update for Ramsey: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $110 in Ramsey versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $304 vs $251 – making Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Ramsey is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,968 per month in Ramsey and $1,930 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 $1,312 in Ramsey and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,332 per month in Ramsey and $198 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Ramsey at $1,312. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ramsey it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ramsey makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.