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 $1,137 per month in Iasi vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,720 per month in Iasi vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,303 per month in Iasi vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Iasi is about 12% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iasi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.52 RON 47.59

$11.73 MX$203

-10.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.4 RON 232

$41.62 MX$719

23.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 RON 30.46

$10.64 MX$184

-36.75%

Cappuccino

$2.68 RON 12.13

$3.52 MX$60.8

-23.86%

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

$2.08 RON 9.39

$1.51 MX$26.09

37.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$0.97 MX$16.82

79.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 RON 11.12

$2.95 MX$51.0

-16.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.47

$4.45 MX$77.0

-23.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.33

$1.38 MX$23.90

1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.89 MX$32.69

-35.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.45

$1.64 MX$28.29

14.02%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 14.51

$2.51 MX$43.30

27.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 RON 35.98

$8.34 MX$144

-4.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 RON 30.32

$8.34 MX$144

-19.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 RON 49.71

$10.73 MX$185

2.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.61

$2.60 MX$45.00

-52.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.33

$1.46 MX$25.18

10.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.84

$1.90 MX$32.84

-8.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.90

$2.08 MX$35.88

-5.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.48

$1.78 MX$30.68

-44.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$2.19 MX$37.76

-52.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.68

$1.04 MX$17.97

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$1.08 MX$18.60

-20.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 RON 28.85

$4.08 MX$70.5

56.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 RON 29.92

$10.32 MX$178

-35.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.95

$1.71 MX$29.59

-36.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.96

$2.58 MX$44.50

-23.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$0.51 MX$8.81

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.13 RON 123

$26.46 MX$457

2.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$3.26 MX$56.4

-72.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.16

$2.49 MX$43.05

-71.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 RON 35.48

$3.25 MX$56.1

141.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.51

$1.31 MX$22.59

26.72%

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

$28.5K RON 129.2K

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-5.75%

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

$27.3K RON 123.7K

$23.4K MX$404.9K

16.68%

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

$156 RON 708

$82.9 MX$1,432

88.66%

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

$8.47 RON 38.35

$22.22 MX$384

-61.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.21 RON 46.22

$29.34 MX$507

-65.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.10 RON 213

$51.6 MX$892

-8.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.25 RON 82.6

$18.32 MX$317

-0.38%

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 RON 36.99

$5.07 MX$87.5

61.14%

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

$463 RON 2,095

$201 MX$3,470

130.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,028 RON 31.8K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

34.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.3 RON 282

$36.92 MX$638

68.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.79 RON 194

$39.79 MX$688

7.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 391

$78.5 MX$1,356

10.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 RON 393

$87.1 MX$1,505

-0.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 RON 2,147

$973 MX$16.8K

-51.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,635

$468 MX$8,082

-22.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 RON 3,395

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-54.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 RON 2,491

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-54.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,076 RON 13.9K

$3,946 MX$68.2K

-22.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,997 RON 9,036

$6,498 MX$112.3K

-69.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,191 RON 5,389

$664 MX$11.5K

79.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.37

11.42

-35.46%

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

Last update for Iasi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Iasi versus $973 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 79% 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 $51.0 in Iasi versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $212 in Iasi vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Iasi 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,137 in Iasi, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 14% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,706 per month in Iasi and $1,945 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 3% less in Iasi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $463 per month in Iasi and $201 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 $1,137, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $1,137 in Iasi to $1,297 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.