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 $1,943 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,976 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,008 per month in Ras al-Khaimah vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ras al-Khaimah costs about 55% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Ras al-Khaimah sits 45% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.47 AED 49.46

$11.99 MX$210

12.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.37 AED 181

$41.78 MX$731

18.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 AED 25.56

$10.75 MX$188

-35.26%

Cappuccino

$5.55 AED 20.37

$3.50 MX$61.1

58.57%

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

$1.32 AED 4.83

$1.45 MX$25.33

-8.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 AED 2.63

$0.88 MX$15.47

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.87 AED 39.92

$2.95 MX$51.6

268.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.05 AED 36.91

$4.51 MX$78.9

122.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 AED 5.75

$1.43 MX$25.04

9.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 AED 5.32

$1.84 MX$32.13

-21.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 AED 6.24

$1.57 MX$27.42

8.28%

Eggs

$2.21 AED 8.11

$2.51 MX$43.92

-11.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.84 AED 47.15

$8.28 MX$145

55.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 AED 27.87

$8.43 MX$147

-9.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 AED 56.1

$10.68 MX$187

43.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 AED 8.03

$2.61 MX$45.62

-16.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 AED 6.47

$1.44 MX$25.15

22.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 AED 5.54

$1.96 MX$34.31

-22.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 AED 4.80

$2.09 MX$36.62

-37.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 AED 3.55

$1.85 MX$32.37

-47.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 AED 3.80

$2.17 MX$37.90

-52.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 AED 6.60

$1.03 MX$18.04

74.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 AED 1.86

$1.07 MX$18.78

-52.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 AED 23.10

$4.10 MX$71.7

53.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.51 AED 49.60

$10.17 MX$178

32.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 AED 9.67

$1.68 MX$29.29

56.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 AED 10.87

$2.53 MX$44.17

17.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.36 AED 8.68

$0.51 MX$8.90

362.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 AED 236

$26.04 MX$455

146.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 AED 5.65

$3.23 MX$56.5

-52.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 AED 3.41

$2.41 MX$42.06

-61.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.41 AED 30.90

$3.23 MX$56.5

160.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 AED 2.93

$1.32 MX$23.10

-39.39%

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

$46.3K AED 169.9K

$29.7K MX$519.2K

55.77%

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

$22.4K AED 82.3K

$23.7K MX$413.7K

-5.27%

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

$149 AED 549

$82.0 MX$1,434

82.17%

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

$45.04 AED 165

$22.95 MX$401

96.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$101 AED 371

$30.11 MX$527

235.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 AED 207

$52.0 MX$909

8.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.13 AED 151

$18.53 MX$324

121.96%

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 AED 49.35

$4.98 MX$87.0

169.88%

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

$248 AED 912

$197 MX$3,452

25.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,208 AED 19.1K

$5,336 MX$93.3K

-2.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 AED 430

$35.60 MX$622

229.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 AED 197

$40.33 MX$705

33.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 AED 502

$78.8 MX$1,377

73.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 AED 498

$88.9 MX$1,555

52.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 AED 2,637

$947 MX$16.6K

-24.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 AED 2,874

$474 MX$8,288

65.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 AED 7,322

$1,644 MX$28.7K

21.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 AED 5,554

$1,211 MX$21.2K

24.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,828 AED 17.7K

$4,056 MX$70.9K

19.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 AED 7,217

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-69.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,571 AED 5,770

$654 MX$11.4K

140.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

11.42

-57.27%

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

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $718 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $947 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 140% 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 $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $249 – 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

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

Yes – Ras al-Khaimah is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,914 per month in Ras al-Khaimah and $1,884 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 $1,943 in Ras al-Khaimah and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 147% 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 $1,256, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,943. 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.