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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,106 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,643 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,180 in Craiova.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 16% more expensive than Craiova, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Craiova 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$9.06 RON 39.52

31.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$45.77 RON 200

-6.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.27 RON 36.06

28.05%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.49 RON 10.84

45.38%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$2.19 RON 9.53

-32.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$1.96 RON 8.56

-52.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.37 RON 10.32

30.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$3.44 RON 14.98

29.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.57 RON 6.83

-8.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.99 RON 4.31

89.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.69 RON 7.38

-3.55%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$3.35 RON 14.60

-21.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.70 RON 33.59

6.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.71 RON 29.25

23.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$9.78 RON 42.65

13.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.27 RON 5.53

108.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.66 RON 7.25

-9.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.57 RON 6.85

26.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.82 RON 7.94

14.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.03 RON 4.50

73.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.10 RON 4.78

98.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.85 RON 3.70

27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.76 RON 3.31

36.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$5.95 RON 25.95

-33.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.35 RON 27.67

60.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.25 RON 5.47

38.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.19 RON 9.55

14.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.71 RON 3.09

-26.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$23.01 RON 100

17.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$0.61 RON 2.65

414.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$0.81 RON 3.54

196.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$6.87 RON 29.96

-55.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$1.57 RON 6.83

-19.11%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$27.9K RON 121.4K

10.87%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$27.4K RON 119.4K

-14.84%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$207 RON 902

-60.36%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$7.90 RON 34.45

184.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$11.74 RON 51.2

152.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$36.46 RON 159

42.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$18.49 RON 80.6

0.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$6.75 RON 29.43

-26.37%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$445 RON 1,941

-55.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$8,844 RON 38.6K

-40.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$78.9 RON 344

-53.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$37.74 RON 165

6.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$78.6 RON 343

1.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$85.5 RON 373

3.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$382 RON 1,668

151.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$315 RON 1,374

47.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$720 RON 3,141

121.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$444 RON 1,935

172.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$2,730 RON 11.9K

44.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$2,095 RON 9,133

207.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$1,077 RON 4,697

-33.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.28

81.85%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Craiova: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $382 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Craiova pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $46.00 in Craiova. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $205, with Craiova 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 Craiova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Craiova wins on cost – living expenses run 16% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Craiova the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Craiova earns 50% less. 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $382 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,106 in Craiova – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 17% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,106 in Craiova versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Craiova but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,106 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Craiova hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen 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 16% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.