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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,287 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,944 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,601 in Iasi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 1% more than Iasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Iasi 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$11.18 RON 50.6

6.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$44.31 RON 201

6.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.84 RON 35.52

49.87%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.97 RON 13.45

38.72%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$2.21 RON 10.02

-36.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.91 RON 8.66

-52.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.38 RON 15.30

-5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.90 RON 17.65

81.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.67 RON 7.55

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.38 RON 6.26

55.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$2.05 RON 9.29

-13.66%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.52 RON 15.94

-19.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.36 RON 37.88

10.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.64 RON 30.08

39.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.43 RON 47.22

21.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.45 RON 6.58

103.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.71 RON 7.72

-7.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.78 RON 8.06

24.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.26 RON 10.25

4.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.88 RON 4.00

126.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.90 RON 4.07

120.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.22 RON 5.51

1.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$1.01 RON 4.58

19.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$6.82 RON 30.90

-32.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$6.51 RON 29.47

61.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.40 RON 6.33

20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.22 RON 10.05

24.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.85 RON 3.84

-29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$28.56 RON 129

3.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.93 RON 4.20

463.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.92 RON 4.14

296.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$8.71 RON 39.44

-33.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.84 RON 8.35

-16.30%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$30.0K RON 135.7K

-23.88%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$28.6K RON 129.6K

-9.79%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$191 RON 865

-52.53%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$7.82 RON 35.41

222.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$9.07 RON 41.07

250.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$46.91 RON 212

46.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$16.58 RON 75.1

77.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$8.78 RON 39.77

-44.65%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$414 RON 1,874

-45.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$7,254 RON 32.8K

-42.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$74.3 RON 337

-36.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$40.27 RON 182

7.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$94.5 RON 428

-15.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$96.1 RON 435

-4.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$558 RON 2,525

94.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$448 RON 2,031

-8.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$932 RON 4,222

111.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$692 RON 3,135

85.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,998 RON 13.6K

34.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,996 RON 9,041

235.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$1,203 RON 5,450

-35.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.18

59.47%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Iasi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $558 in Iasi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 56% higher in Iasi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Iasi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $224 – making Iasi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Iasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, $1,287 in Iasi – roughly 1% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,931 in Iasi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Iasi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Iasi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $414 in Iasi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Iasi, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Iasi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,287 in Iasi to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Iasi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.