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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $918 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,536 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,155 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 38% more expensive than in Drobeta-Turnu Severin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Drobeta-Turnu Severin 33% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.60 MX$200
$8.98 RON 41.13
29.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.11 MX$811
$43.79 RON 201
7.58%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.88 MX$205
$7.86 RON 36.01
51.15%
Cappuccino
$3.98 MX$68.5
$3.43 RON 15.73
16.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.43 MX$24.57
$2.24 RON 10.24
-36.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$14.20
$1.93 RON 8.85
-57.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$54.9
$3.39 RON 15.54
-5.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79 MX$117
$4.04 RON 18.52
68.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.85
$1.47 RON 6.73
14.29%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 MX$37.83
$1.20 RON 5.48
83.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 MX$29.41
$1.45 RON 6.66
17.93%
Eggs
$2.74 MX$47.20
$3.55 RON 16.26
-22.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.58 MX$165
$8.05 RON 36.86
19.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.01 MX$155
$6.42 RON 29.43
40.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.81 MX$221
$8.42 RON 38.59
52.14%
Apples (1kg)
$2.89 MX$49.74
$1.23 RON 5.63
134.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 MX$25.78
$1.57 RON 7.21
-4.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 MX$36.98
$1.56 RON 7.17
37.82%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.26 MX$38.91
$2.76 RON 12.65
-18.12%
Potato (1kg)
$1.98 MX$34.10
$0.74 RON 3.40
167.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.26
$0.65 RON 2.97
206.15%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.23 MX$21.25
$1.03 RON 4.72
19.42%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$20.60
$0.92 RON 4.22
30.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.55 MX$78.3
$6.14 RON 28.13
-25.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.37 MX$179
$7.63 RON 34.97
35.91%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$27.88
$0.98 RON 4.50
65.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 MX$49.60
$1.46 RON 6.68
97.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.34
$0.80 RON 3.66
-25.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$28.80 MX$496
$22.85 RON 105
26.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.39 MX$92.8
$1.02 RON 4.68
428.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.73 MX$64.2
$0.86 RON 3.96
333.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.77 MX$99.3
$8.68 RON 39.77
-33.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.45
$1.85 RON 8.46
-16.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K MX$388.3K
$29.6K RON 135.4K
-23.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K MX$448.7K
$26.0K RON 118.9K
0.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$91.4 MX$1,573
$123 RON 563
-25.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.20 MX$434
$9.54 RON 43.69
164.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.24 MX$538
$12.80 RON 58.6
144.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 MX$1,157
$40.00 RON 183
68.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.11 MX$501
$21.18 RON 97.0
37.44%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$83.7
$7.17 RON 32.83
-32.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$224 MX$3,851
$462 RON 2,119
-51.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,229 MX$72.8K
$6,941 RON 31.8K
-39.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.10 MX$811
$77.5 RON 355
-39.26%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.29 MX$763
$33.15 RON 152
33.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.1 MX$1,379
$89.8 RON 412
-10.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7 MX$1,596
$92.4 RON 423
0.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,063 MX$18.3K
$402 RON 1,843
164.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 MX$6,719
$179 RON 818
118.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,149 MX$37.0K
$640 RON 2,930
236.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,272 MX$21.9K
$472 RON 2,161
169.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,001 MX$68.9K
$1,920 RON 8,798
108.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,502 MX$112.0K
$1,385 RON 6,347
369.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Drobeta-Turnu Severin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$758 MX$13.1K
$971 RON 4,449
-21.92%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
7.02
63.11%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Drobeta-Turnu Severin: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $402 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Drobeta-Turnu Severin pays 28% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $44.00 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $206 per month, with Drobeta-Turnu Severin cheaper across the board.

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, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 38% 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, salaries run 28% 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.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Drobeta-Turnu Severin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $402 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 26% 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 $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $462 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 living in Playa del Carmen or in Drobeta-Turnu Severin?
At $918 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin versus $1,266 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 38% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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