Cost of Living Comparison Between Ras al-Khaimah and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ras al-Khaimah and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,745 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,761 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,777 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah costs about 35% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Ras al-Khaimah sits 27% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.04 AED 44.22

$11.71 MX$198

2.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.52 AED 167

$46.59 MX$788

-2.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 AED 27.45

$11.65 MX$197

-35.79%

Cappuccino

$5.51 AED 20.24

$4.09 MX$69.2

34.72%

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

$1.11 AED 4.07

$1.37 MX$23.23

-18.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 AED 1.60

$0.83 MX$14.09

-46.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.06 AED 36.94

$3.35 MX$56.7

200.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.78 AED 35.93

$6.91 MX$117

41.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 AED 6.29

$1.73 MX$29.20

-1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.06 AED 7.56

$2.26 MX$38.21

-8.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 AED 6.91

$1.77 MX$29.91

6.21%

Eggs

$2.42 AED 8.88

$2.73 MX$46.19

-11.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.50 AED 45.90

$9.18 MX$155

36.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 AED 35.56

$8.92 MX$151

8.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 AED 57.9

$12.60 MX$213

25.00%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 AED 7.30

$3.02 MX$51.1

-34.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 AED 5.85

$1.57 MX$26.55

1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 AED 5.51

$2.13 MX$35.93

-29.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 AED 4.93

$2.26 MX$38.28

-40.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 AED 3.56

$2.00 MX$33.88

-51.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 AED 3.38

$2.06 MX$34.90

-55.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 AED 6.44

$1.18 MX$19.94

48.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 AED 1.75

$1.20 MX$20.35

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.77 AED 24.87

$4.63 MX$78.4

46.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.66 AED 50.2

$10.69 MX$181

27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 AED 9.25

$1.62 MX$27.38

55.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 AED 10.49

$2.88 MX$48.70

-0.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 AED 7.82

$0.57 MX$9.69

273.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 AED 411

$29.83 MX$504

275.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 AED 6.30

$5.45 MX$92.1

-68.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 AED 2.89

$3.70 MX$62.6

-78.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.96 AED 29.23

$5.98 MX$101

33.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 AED 3.26

$1.55 MX$26.26

-42.58%

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

$46.3K AED 169.9K

$22.3K MX$377.4K

107.21%

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

$21.8K AED 80.2K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-15.86%

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

$124 AED 456

$89.1 MX$1,507

39.41%

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

$45.14 AED 166

$25.04 MX$423

80.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.6 AED 292

$31.50 MX$532

152.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 AED 211

$67.8 MX$1,146

-15.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.71 AED 150

$28.92 MX$489

40.77%

Cinema Ticket

$13.07 AED 48.00

$5.05 MX$85.4

158.81%

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

$296 AED 1,086

$225 MX$3,803

31.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,411 AED 16.2K

$4,222 MX$71.4K

4.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 AED 303

$47.44 MX$802

73.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 AED 192

$44.98 MX$760

16.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 AED 466

$82.0 MX$1,386

54.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 AED 422

$92.1 MX$1,557

24.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 AED 2,768

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-29.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 AED 2,135

$405 MX$6,852

43.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,642 AED 6,029

$1,935 MX$32.7K

-15.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 AED 4,655

$1,301 MX$22.0K

-2.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,911 AED 18.0K

$3,995 MX$67.5K

22.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 AED 7,157

$6,626 MX$112.0K

-70.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,584 AED 5,818

$749 MX$12.7K

111.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.92

11.45

-57.03%

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

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $754 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $1,069 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 112% higher in Ras al-Khaimah, 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 $46.00 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $283 in Ras al-Khaimah vs $277 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

Ras al-Khaimah vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ras al-Khaimah is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,617 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,745 in Ras al-Khaimah and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 275% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,745. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ras al-Khaimah 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, Ras al-Khaimah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.