😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,053 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,756 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,459 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.
😐Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 21% more expensive than Drobeta-Turnu Severin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen5% lower, Drobeta-Turnu Severin22% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.87MX$204
$13.80RON 62.4
-13.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.90MX$736
$69.4RON 314
-38.20%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.65MX$183
$8.27RON 37.40
28.78%
Cappuccino
$3.45MX$59.2
$3.41RON 15.43
1.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.50MX$25.81
$2.34RON 10.58
-35.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.95MX$16.28
$2.30RON 10.38
-58.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.03MX$51.9
$3.54RON 16.00
-14.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.61MX$79.1
$4.01RON 18.13
14.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38MX$23.61
$1.79RON 8.09
-22.91%
White Bread(500g)
$1.85MX$31.70
$1.35RON 6.12
37.04%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.65
$1.83RON 8.27
-12.02%
Eggs
$2.59MX$44.51
$3.67RON 16.60
-29.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.26MX$142
$9.46RON 42.78
-12.68%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.37MX$144
$6.86RON 31.05
22.01%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$183
$12.46RON 56.4
-14.45%
Apples(1kg)
$2.63MX$45.12
$1.40RON 6.32
87.86%
Banana(1kg)
$1.49MX$25.53
$1.70RON 7.68
-12.35%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.92MX$32.94
$1.81RON 8.17
6.08%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.09MX$35.81
$2.42RON 10.94
-13.64%
Potato(1kg)
$1.86MX$31.88
$1.00RON 4.51
86.00%
Onion(1kg)
$2.26MX$38.81
$0.97RON 4.40
132.99%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.06MX$18.23
$0.97RON 4.41
9.28%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09MX$18.67
$0.88RON 3.98
23.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.2
$6.49RON 29.36
-36.06%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.39MX$178
$8.46RON 38.27
22.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72MX$29.59
$1.26RON 5.70
36.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61MX$44.85
$1.94RON 8.78
34.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.54MX$9.30
$0.67RON 3.03
-19.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$26.94MX$462
$20.09RON 90.9
34.10%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.13MX$53.7
$0.71RON 3.21
340.85%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.51MX$43.09
$0.65RON 2.95
286.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.15MX$54.1
$6.99RON 31.62
-54.94%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.88
$1.73RON 7.81
-26.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4KMX$521.3K
$28.8KRON 130.2K
5.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.6KMX$404.5K
$29.7KRON 134.3K
-20.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0MX$1,425
$181RON 820
-54.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.71MX$390
$8.85RON 40.02
156.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.46MX$506
$11.28RON 51.0
161.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$51.0MX$875
$40.86RON 185
24.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.33MX$315
$19.20RON 86.9
-4.53%
Cinema Ticket
$4.93MX$84.5
$9.34RON 42.26
-47.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$197MX$3,386
$667RON 3,019
-70.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,280MX$90.6K
$14.4KRON 65.2K
-63.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.90MX$633
$81.5RON 369
-54.72%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.89MX$685
$44.43RON 201
-10.22%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0MX$1,373
$91.1RON 412
-12.15%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.5MX$1,536
$110RON 497
-18.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$956MX$16.4K
$389RON 1,759
145.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$477MX$8,189
$186RON 842
156.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,646MX$28.3K
$595RON 2,690
176.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,225MX$21.0K
$442RON 1,999
177.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,918MX$67.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,459MX$110.9K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$667MX$11.4K
$951RON 4,301
-29.86%
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: June 7, 2026
Last update for Drobeta-Turnu Severin: June 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $389 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Drobeta-Turnu Severin pays 43% 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 $69.0 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Groceries flip the comparison at $250 vs $237, 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
Is Drobeta-Turnu Severin cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Drobeta-Turnu Severin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Playa del Carmen or Drobeta-Turnu Severin?
On paper, Drobeta-Turnu Severin earns 43% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Drobeta-Turnu Severin?
Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $389 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Drobeta-Turnu Severin runs roughly 34% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $667 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Playa del Carmen or Drobeta-Turnu Severin?
At $1,053 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin versus $1,271 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.
Is Playa del Carmen or Drobeta-Turnu Severin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Playa del Carmen or Drobeta-Turnu Severin?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Drobeta-Turnu Severin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Playa del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared