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 $1,156 per month in Iasi vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,753 per month in Iasi vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,350 per month in Iasi vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Iasi is about 8% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Iasi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Iasi 13% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.39 RON 47.70

$11.99 MX$209

-13.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 RON 237

$41.78 MX$728

23.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 RON 32.67

$10.75 MX$187

-33.77%

Cappuccino

$2.63 RON 12.09

$3.50 MX$60.9

-24.86%

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

$2.11 RON 9.67

$1.45 MX$25.22

45.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$0.88 MX$15.41

94.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 RON 11.35

$2.95 MX$51.3

-16.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.43

$4.51 MX$78.6

-25.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.55

$1.43 MX$24.94

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.59

$1.84 MX$31.99

-33.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.66

$1.57 MX$27.31

20.38%

Eggs

$3.09 RON 14.16

$2.51 MX$43.74

23.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 RON 37.29

$8.28 MX$144

-1.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$8.43 MX$147

-17.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 RON 49.95

$10.68 MX$186

1.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.66

$2.61 MX$45.43

-52.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.14

$1.44 MX$25.04

7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$1.96 MX$34.16

-12.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.80

$2.09 MX$36.47

-8.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$1.85 MX$32.24

-49.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.60

$2.17 MX$37.74

-53.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$1.03 MX$17.96

-2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.94

$1.07 MX$18.70

-19.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 28.81

$4.10 MX$71.4

53.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.39 RON 29.32

$10.17 MX$177

-37.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 5.04

$1.68 MX$29.17

-34.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.83

$2.53 MX$43.98

-24.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.65

$0.51 MX$8.87

54.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.96 RON 128

$26.04 MX$453

7.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.31

$3.23 MX$56.3

-70.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.26

$2.41 MX$41.88

-70.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.14 RON 37.36

$3.23 MX$56.2

152.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.71

$1.32 MX$23.00

27.27%

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

$28.5K RON 130.9K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-3.97%

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

$27.7K RON 127.2K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

17.14%

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

$157 RON 718

$82.0 MX$1,428

90.84%

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

$8.51 RON 39.08

$22.95 MX$400

-62.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.26 RON 47.09

$30.11 MX$524

-65.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.27 RON 217

$52.0 MX$905

-9.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.50 RON 84.9

$18.53 MX$323

-0.16%

Cinema Ticket

$8.00 RON 36.74

$4.98 MX$86.6

60.64%

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

$471 RON 2,160

$197 MX$3,438

138.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,866 RON 31.5K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

28.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 RON 280

$35.60 MX$620

71.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.56 RON 200

$40.33 MX$702

8.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 RON 398

$78.8 MX$1,371

10.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 RON 401

$88.9 MX$1,549

-1.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 RON 2,172

$947 MX$16.5K

-50.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 RON 1,649

$474 MX$8,254

-24.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 RON 3,405

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-54.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 RON 2,448

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-55.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,911 RON 13.4K

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-28.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,932 RON 8,869

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-70.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,182 RON 5,426

$654 MX$11.4K

80.76%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in Iasi 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 81% 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 $52.0 in Iasi versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $211 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: $1,156 in Iasi, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 9% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,734 per month in Iasi 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 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 7% less in Iasi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $471 per month in Iasi and $197 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 $1,156, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $1,156 in Iasi to $1,256 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.