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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,254 in Brasov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,956 in Brasov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,657 in Brasov.

Monthly costs are close between Playa del Carmen and Brasov; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Brasov 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$12.42 RON 57.0

-3.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$50.8 RON 233

-17.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.07 RON 37.06

33.21%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.58 RON 16.42

-2.23%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.90 RON 8.74

-23.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$2.01 RON 9.25

-56.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$3.25 RON 14.92

-9.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.42 RON 15.68

31.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.54 RON 7.07

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.29 RON 5.93

42.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.81 RON 8.32

-13.26%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.36 RON 15.43

-25.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$8.83 RON 40.51

-6.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$7.03 RON 32.27

19.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$11.75 RON 54.0

-9.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.14 RON 5.26

128.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.66 RON 7.61

-13.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.55 RON 7.12

26.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$2.49 RON 11.41

-16.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.94 RON 4.34

96.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.06 RON 4.89

104.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.88 RON 4.02

17.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.79 RON 3.64

35.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$5.85 RON 26.85

-29.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$7.84 RON 35.98

29.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.11 RON 5.09

51.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.71 RON 7.86

47.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.91 RON 4.16

-43.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$18.69 RON 85.8

39.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.77 RON 3.53

319.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.60 RON 2.76

301.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$6.78 RON 31.13

-52.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.61 RON 7.37

-18.01%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$28.1K RON 129.0K

5.68%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$27.5K RON 126.3K

-14.01%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$165 RON 758

-50.34%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$8.19 RON 37.58

180.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$8.83 RON 40.53

241.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$60.0 RON 276

-13.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$15.81 RON 72.6

17.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$10.79 RON 49.54

-53.85%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$447 RON 2,053

-55.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$6,652 RON 30.5K

-19.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$68.0 RON 312

-47.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$42.68 RON 196

-5.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$95.6 RON 439

-17.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$98.3 RON 451

-9.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$626 RON 2,873

51.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$428 RON 1,964

10.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,029 RON 4,725

59.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$699 RON 3,208

73.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$3,177 RON 14.6K

27.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$2,402 RON 11.0K

169.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,127 RON 5,176

-42.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.7

48.31%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Brasov: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $626 in Brasov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brasov pays 72% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $51.0 in Brasov. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $223, with Brasov cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

On paper, salaries run 72% lower in Brasov. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $626 in Brasov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $447 in Brasov. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Brasov – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,254 in Brasov versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Brasov but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Brasov the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Brasov are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Brasov wins on affordability, Playa del Carmen on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.