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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,115 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,639 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,163 in Craiova.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 30% more expensive than Craiova, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Craiova is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$8.96 RON 40.53

44.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$46.48 RON 210

13.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.99 RON 36.16

18.02%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.59 RON 11.73

37.84%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$2.09 RON 9.44

-22.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$1.87 RON 8.44

-38.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.35 RON 10.61

34.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.52 RON 15.94

38.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.51 RON 6.84

12.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.00 RON 4.51

164.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.71 RON 7.72

11.11%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$3.27 RON 14.78

-22.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$7.76 RON 35.10

29.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$6.54 RON 29.60

26.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$9.45 RON 42.75

22.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.28 RON 5.80

136.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.69 RON 7.64

1.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.57 RON 7.11

30.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.87 RON 8.47

10.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.03 RON 4.68

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.12 RON 5.07

93.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.80 RON 3.61

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.80 RON 3.64

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$6.03 RON 27.26

-28.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$6.00 RON 27.16

156.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.31 RON 5.95

27.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.26 RON 10.24

63.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.67 RON 3.02

-43.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$23.28 RON 105

-18.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.57 RON 2.58

142.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.83 RON 3.77

-66.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$7.10 RON 32.12

-23.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.61 RON 7.27

-20.50%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$27.5K RON 124.6K

-31.10%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$27.8K RON 125.9K

-15.72%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$212 RON 957

-80.62%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$8.06 RON 36.48

234.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$11.54 RON 52.2

157.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$36.06 RON 163

45.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$18.75 RON 84.8

39.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$6.69 RON 30.28

-7.62%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$436 RON 1,971

-1.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$8,920 RON 40.4K

19.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$80.5 RON 364

-29.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$36.68 RON 166

22.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$78.5 RON 355

33.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$87.8 RON 397

20.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$387 RON 1,751

156.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$307 RON 1,389

102.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$727 RON 3,287

192.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$448 RON 2,028

179.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,639 RON 11.9K

47.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$2,047 RON 9,260

2.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$998 RON 4,516

10.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.28

80.57%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Craiova: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $387 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 11% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $46.00 in Craiova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $203 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 30% 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.

Mexico City pays 11% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $387 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $1,115 in Craiova – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 22% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,115 in Craiova versus $1,447 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 $1,115 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 30% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.