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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,115 in Craiova versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,639 in Craiova versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,163 in Craiova versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Craiova costs roughly 12% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Craiova 17% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.96 RON 40.53

$11.87 MX$204

-24.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.48 RON 210

$42.90 MX$736

8.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 RON 36.16

$10.65 MX$183

-24.98%

Cappuccino

$2.59 RON 11.73

$3.45 MX$59.2

-24.93%

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

$2.09 RON 9.44

$1.50 MX$25.81

39.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 RON 8.44

$0.95 MX$16.28

96.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 RON 10.61

$3.03 MX$51.9

-22.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 RON 15.94

$4.61 MX$79.1

-23.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 6.84

$1.38 MX$23.61

9.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 RON 4.51

$1.85 MX$31.70

-45.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.72

$1.61 MX$27.65

6.21%

Eggs

$3.27 RON 14.78

$2.59 MX$44.51

26.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 RON 35.10

$8.26 MX$142

-6.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 RON 29.60

$8.37 MX$144

-21.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 RON 42.75

$10.66 MX$183

-11.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 RON 5.80

$2.63 MX$45.12

-51.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.64

$1.49 MX$25.53

13.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.11

$1.92 MX$32.94

-18.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.47

$2.09 MX$35.81

-10.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.68

$1.86 MX$31.88

-44.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 RON 5.07

$2.26 MX$38.81

-50.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RON 3.61

$1.06 MX$18.23

-24.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.64

$1.09 MX$18.67

-26.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.03 RON 27.26

$4.15 MX$71.2

45.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 RON 27.16

$10.39 MX$178

-42.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 RON 5.95

$1.72 MX$29.59

-23.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 RON 10.24

$2.61 MX$44.85

-13.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.02

$0.54 MX$9.30

24.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.28 RON 105

$26.94 MX$462

-13.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 RON 2.58

$3.13 MX$53.7

-81.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.77

$2.51 MX$43.09

-66.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 RON 32.12

$3.15 MX$54.1

125.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.27

$1.27 MX$21.88

26.77%

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

$27.5K RON 124.6K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-9.30%

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

$27.8K RON 125.9K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

18.13%

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

$212 RON 957

$83.0 MX$1,425

154.99%

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

$8.06 RON 36.48

$22.71 MX$390

-64.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.54 RON 52.2

$29.46 MX$506

-60.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.06 RON 163

$51.0 MX$875

-29.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 RON 84.8

$18.33 MX$315

2.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 RON 30.28

$4.93 MX$84.5

35.70%

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

$436 RON 1,971

$197 MX$3,386

120.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,920 RON 40.4K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

68.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 RON 364

$36.90 MX$633

118.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.68 RON 166

$39.89 MX$685

-8.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 RON 355

$80.0 MX$1,373

-1.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 RON 397

$89.5 MX$1,536

-1.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 RON 1,751

$956 MX$16.4K

-59.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 RON 1,389

$477 MX$8,189

-35.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 RON 3,287

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-55.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,028

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-63.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,639 RON 11.9K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-32.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,047 RON 9,260

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-68.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$998 RON 4,516

$667 MX$11.4K

49.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

11.42

-45.01%

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

Last update for Craiova: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Craiova and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Craiova pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Craiova vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 vs $250, with Craiova cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Craiova wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Craiova the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Craiova pays 50% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $387 in Craiova versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,115 per month in Craiova versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 16% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,115 in Craiova versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Craiova but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Craiova the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Craiova delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,115 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Craiova hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Craiova and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Craiova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.