Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Craiova Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Craiova

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,219 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,775 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,331 in Craiova.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 36% more expensive than in Craiova, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Craiova is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$7.47 RON 34.28

59.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$37.52 RON 172

37.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.73 RON 35.45

47.61%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.87 RON 13.18

39.02%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$2.31 RON 10.59

-28.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$1.90 RON 8.73

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.45 RON 11.26

41.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.61 RON 16.58

63.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.32 RON 6.06

42.42%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.92 RON 4.22

253.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.50 RON 6.86

44.00%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$3.44 RON 15.77

-15.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$7.54 RON 34.60

70.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$6.70 RON 30.73

50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$11.65 RON 53.5

36.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.04 RON 4.79

216.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.52 RON 6.99

32.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.52 RON 6.99

44.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.90 RON 8.71

24.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.86 RON 3.92

138.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.94 RON 4.32

102.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.77 RON 3.51

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.74 RON 3.38

89.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$6.70 RON 30.75

-18.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$6.74 RON 30.90

161.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.18 RON 5.44

74.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$1.60 RON 7.36

192.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.89 RON 4.08

-61.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$26.08 RON 120

-20.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.63 RON 2.88

233.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.64 RON 2.91

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$6.62 RON 30.37

-12.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.88 RON 8.61

-14.36%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$29.6K RON 136.0K

-22.93%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$27.3K RON 125.1K

-1.90%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$206 RON 947

-68.41%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$10.52 RON 48.28

186.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$11.68 RON 53.6

218.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$41.43 RON 190

44.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$22.75 RON 104

16.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$7.91 RON 36.28

-11.00%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$441 RON 2,025

5.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$8,696 RON 39.9K

52.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$58.8 RON 270

29.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$49.69 RON 228

12.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$82.6 RON 379

35.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$108 RON 497

11.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$536 RON 2,460

105.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$401 RON 1,840

79.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$921 RON 4,225

174.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$618 RON 2,836

109.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,767 RON 12.7K

44.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$2,050 RON 9,407

1.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$981 RON 4,500

5.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.84

65.20%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Craiova: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $536 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $38.00 in Craiova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $202 per month, with Craiova cheaper across the board.

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

Mexico City vs Craiova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Craiova wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Craiova the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 6% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $536 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $1,219 in Craiova – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 25% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,219 in Craiova versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Craiova but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 $1,219 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Craiova hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Craiova 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 36% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.