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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,156 in Iasi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,753 in Iasi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,350 in Iasi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 9% more than Iasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Iasi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Iasi 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$10.39 RON 47.70

15.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$51.6 RON 237

-18.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.12 RON 32.67

50.98%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.63 RON 12.09

33.08%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$2.11 RON 9.67

-31.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$1.71 RON 7.86

-48.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$2.47 RON 11.35

19.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$3.36 RON 15.43

34.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.43 RON 6.55

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.22 RON 5.59

50.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.89 RON 8.66

-16.93%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$3.09 RON 14.16

-18.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$8.12 RON 37.29

1.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.93 RON 31.79

21.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$10.88 RON 49.95

-1.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.23 RON 5.66

112.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.55 RON 7.14

-7.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.71 RON 7.86

14.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.92 RON 8.80

8.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.94 RON 4.31

96.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.00 RON 4.60

117.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.00 RON 4.59

3.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.86 RON 3.94

24.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$6.28 RON 28.81

-34.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$6.39 RON 29.32

59.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$1.10 RON 5.04

52.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$1.92 RON 8.83

31.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.79 RON 3.65

-35.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$27.96 RON 128

-6.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$0.94 RON 4.31

243.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.71 RON 3.26

239.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$8.14 RON 37.36

-60.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$1.68 RON 7.71

-21.43%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$28.5K RON 130.9K

4.13%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$27.7K RON 127.2K

-14.64%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$157 RON 718

-47.60%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$8.51 RON 39.08

169.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$10.26 RON 47.09

193.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$47.27 RON 217

9.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$18.50 RON 84.9

0.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$8.00 RON 36.74

-37.75%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$471 RON 2,160

-58.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$6,866 RON 31.5K

-22.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$61.0 RON 280

-41.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$43.56 RON 200

-7.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$86.8 RON 398

-9.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$87.5 RON 401

1.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$473 RON 2,172

100.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$359 RON 1,649

31.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$742 RON 3,405

121.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$533 RON 2,448

127.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,911 RON 13.4K

39.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,932 RON 8,869

234.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,182 RON 5,426

-44.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.37

54.95%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Iasi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $473 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 81% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $52.0 in Iasi. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $211 in Iasi – so Iasi wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $1,156 in Iasi – roughly 9% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,734 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 7% less in Iasi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $471 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 $1,156, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $1,156 in Iasi to $1,256 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.