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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Iasi vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,944 per month in Iasi vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,601 per month in Iasi vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Iasi is about 1% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iasi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 7% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.18 RON 50.6

$11.96 MX$203

-6.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.31 RON 201

$47.38 MX$804

-6.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 RON 35.52

$11.75 MX$199

-33.28%

Cappuccino

$2.97 RON 13.45

$4.12 MX$70.0

-27.91%

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

$2.21 RON 10.02

$1.40 MX$23.74

57.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.66

$0.91 MX$15.48

109.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.30

$3.21 MX$54.4

5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 RON 17.65

$7.07 MX$120

-44.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.55

$1.68 MX$28.44

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 RON 6.26

$2.15 MX$36.48

-35.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 RON 9.29

$1.77 MX$30.10

15.82%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.94

$2.82 MX$47.76

24.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 RON 37.88

$9.20 MX$156

-9.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 RON 30.08

$9.23 MX$157

-28.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 RON 47.22

$12.64 MX$214

-17.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.58

$2.95 MX$50.1

-50.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.72

$1.58 MX$26.79

8.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.06

$2.22 MX$37.70

-19.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 RON 10.25

$2.36 MX$40.09

-4.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.00

$1.99 MX$33.81

-55.78%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.07

$1.98 MX$33.58

-54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.24 MX$21.04

-1.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.58

$1.21 MX$20.55

-16.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 RON 30.90

$4.60 MX$78.1

48.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.51 RON 29.47

$10.52 MX$178

-38.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.69 MX$28.70

-17.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 10.05

$2.77 MX$47.06

-19.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$0.60 MX$10.22

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.56 RON 129

$29.70 MX$504

-3.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.20

$5.24 MX$88.8

-82.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 RON 4.14

$3.65 MX$61.9

-74.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 RON 39.44

$5.78 MX$98.1

50.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.35

$1.54 MX$26.09

19.48%

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

$30.0K RON 135.7K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

31.36%

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

$28.6K RON 129.6K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

10.85%

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

$191 RON 865

$90.7 MX$1,538

110.67%

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

$7.82 RON 35.41

$25.19 MX$427

-68.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.07 RON 41.07

$31.75 MX$539

-71.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.91 RON 212

$68.8 MX$1,167

-31.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.58 RON 75.1

$29.37 MX$498

-43.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.78 RON 39.77

$4.86 MX$82.5

80.66%

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

$414 RON 1,874

$226 MX$3,828

83.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,254 RON 32.8K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

72.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 RON 337

$47.38 MX$804

56.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.27 RON 182

$43.45 MX$737

-7.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.5 RON 428

$80.2 MX$1,361

17.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 RON 435

$91.4 MX$1,550

5.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$558 RON 2,525

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-48.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,031

$409 MX$6,933

9.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 RON 4,222

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-52.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 RON 3,135

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-45.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,998 RON 13.6K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-25.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,996 RON 9,041

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-70.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,203 RON 5,450

$773 MX$13.1K

55.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.18

11.45

-37.29%

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

Last update for Iasi: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $558 in Iasi versus $1,086 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 56% higher in Iasi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Iasi versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $278 – making Iasi 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,287 in Iasi, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 1% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,931 per month in Iasi and $1,958 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 Iasi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Iasi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $414 per month in Iasi and $226 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iasi, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Iasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen 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 $1,287 in Iasi to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Iasi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.