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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,109 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,650 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,191 in Craiova.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 14% more expensive than in Craiova, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Craiova 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$9.38 RON 42.65

24.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$45.95 RON 209

-8.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.96 RON 36.18

32.04%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.49 RON 11.31

44.18%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.10 RON 9.54

-28.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$1.92 RON 8.75

-52.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.25 RON 10.21

31.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.35 RON 15.23

31.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.56 RON 7.09

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.00 RON 4.54

88.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.71 RON 7.77

-8.77%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.23 RON 14.66

-19.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.72 RON 35.11

7.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.48 RON 29.47

28.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$9.81 RON 44.59

10.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.23 RON 5.61

120.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.70 RON 7.73

-11.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.60 RON 7.27

16.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.84 RON 8.36

19.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.07 RON 4.88

73.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.14 RON 5.17

95.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.80 RON 3.64

33.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.80 RON 3.65

36.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$5.88 RON 26.74

-28.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.34 RON 28.81

64.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.30 RON 5.91

27.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.25 RON 10.24

16.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.72 RON 3.28

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$23.02 RON 105

13.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.56 RON 2.54

450.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.89 RON 4.04

169.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$6.75 RON 30.69

-53.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.60 RON 7.29

-18.13%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$27.5K RON 124.9K

8.48%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$27.6K RON 125.6K

-15.55%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$212 RON 964

-61.68%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$8.08 RON 36.73

179.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$11.58 RON 52.6

159.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$37.03 RON 168

42.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$18.97 RON 86.2

-3.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$6.54 RON 29.76

-24.77%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$434 RON 1,971

-53.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$8,856 RON 40.3K

-41.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$78.5 RON 357

-54.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$37.91 RON 172

5.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$77.6 RON 353

2.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$86.8 RON 394

-0.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$386 RON 1,756

153.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$317 RON 1,439

48.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$706 RON 3,209

133.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$436 RON 1,980

176.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,735 RON 12.4K

44.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,998 RON 9,082

230.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$945 RON 4,297

-28.42%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Craiova: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $386 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Craiova pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $46.00 in Craiova. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 vs $204, 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 14% 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, salaries run 40% lower in Craiova. 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $386 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,109 in Craiova – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 14% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,109 in Craiova versus $1,260 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 $1,109 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 14% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.