Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Drobeta-Turnu Severin Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Drobeta-Turnu Severin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,053 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,798 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,544 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 20% more expensive than in Drobeta-Turnu Severin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Drobeta-Turnu Severin 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$13.58 RON 61.8

-13.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$68.0 RON 309

-38.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.26 RON 37.56

27.24%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.28 RON 14.89

9.45%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$2.33 RON 10.58

-35.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$2.30 RON 10.43

-60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.48 RON 15.80

-14.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$4.03 RON 18.30

9.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.78 RON 8.09

-21.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.38 RON 6.27

36.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.89 RON 8.60

-17.46%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$3.49 RON 15.85

-25.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$9.67 RON 43.95

-13.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.95 RON 31.58

20.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$12.38 RON 56.3

-12.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.40 RON 6.36

93.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.79 RON 8.14

-15.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.76 RON 7.98

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$2.50 RON 11.38

-12.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.00 RON 4.56

86.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.01 RON 4.61

120.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.94 RON 4.29

13.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.94 RON 4.29

15.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$6.30 RON 28.64

-33.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$8.22 RON 37.35

26.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.22 RON 5.57

36.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.95 RON 8.88

33.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.67 RON 3.04

-19.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$19.93 RON 90.6

31.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.67 RON 3.04

359.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.66 RON 2.99

263.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$6.90 RON 31.35

-54.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$1.70 RON 7.72

-22.94%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$29.0K RON 131.8K

2.84%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$30.5K RON 138.9K

-23.64%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$181 RON 822

-55.02%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$8.76 RON 39.82

157.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$11.48 RON 52.2

161.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$41.21 RON 187

28.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$18.90 RON 85.9

-2.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$9.32 RON 42.36

-47.21%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$659 RON 2,998

-69.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$14.3K RON 65.1K

-63.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$79.3 RON 360

-54.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$45.38 RON 206

-11.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$89.4 RON 407

-10.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$110 RON 499

-21.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$395 RON 1,794

147.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$186 RON 846

152.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$599 RON 2,722

175.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$440 RON 2,002

173.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,980 RON 9,003

99.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,343 RON 6,107

391.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$937 RON 4,260

-27.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.1

60.85%

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 Drobeta-Turnu Severin: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $395 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Drobeta-Turnu Severin pays 38% 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 $68.0 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 vs $238, with Drobeta-Turnu Severin 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 Drobeta-Turnu Severin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Drobeta-Turnu Severin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 38% lower in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. 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 $395 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Drobeta-Turnu Severin runs roughly 31% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $659 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,053 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Drobeta-Turnu Severin but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Drobeta-Turnu Severin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Drobeta-Turnu Severin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Drobeta-Turnu Severin 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 Drobeta-Turnu Severin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.