Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ramnicu Sarat Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ramnicu Sarat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,140 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,763 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,385 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 11% more than Ramnicu Sarat, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ramnicu Sarat are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ramnicu Sarat 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$14.00 RON 63.9

-16.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$69.0 RON 315

-39.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$8.29 RON 37.87

26.78%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$3.30 RON 15.06

8.79%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.89 RON 8.63

-20.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$1.32 RON 6.01

-30.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$2.24 RON 10.21

32.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$3.19 RON 14.56

38.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.71 RON 7.79

-18.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.24 RON 5.66

51.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.91 RON 8.74

-18.32%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$3.14 RON 14.36

-16.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$9.80 RON 44.75

-15.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$6.65 RON 30.38

25.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$11.68 RON 53.3

-7.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$1.41 RON 6.43

92.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.80 RON 8.20

-16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.72 RON 7.84

8.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$2.42 RON 11.05

-9.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$1.05 RON 4.79

77.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.15 RON 5.25

93.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$1.03 RON 4.72

3.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.91 RON 4.15

19.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$6.27 RON 28.65

-33.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$6.37 RON 29.11

63.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$1.09 RON 4.97

52.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$1.77 RON 8.09

47.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.67 RON 3.08

-19.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$20.09 RON 91.8

30.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.97 RON 4.41

217.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.75 RON 3.42

220.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$8.14 RON 37.18

-61.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.64 RON 7.51

-20.12%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$28.5K RON 130.0K

4.74%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$27.9K RON 127.3K

-16.35%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$188 RON 860

-56.82%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$7.99 RON 36.50

182.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$9.01 RON 41.14

233.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$41.95 RON 192

26.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$19.46 RON 88.9

-5.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$8.12 RON 37.07

-39.41%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$556 RON 2,539

-63.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$8,245 RON 37.7K

-37.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$70.4 RON 321

-48.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$66.3 RON 303

-39.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$75.2 RON 343

6.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$80.1 RON 366

7.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$381 RON 1,740

156.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$292 RON 1,335

60.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$577 RON 2,634

186.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$432 RON 1,974

178.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$1,939 RON 8,854

103.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

$1,299 RON 5,934

408.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.78

68.44%

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 Ramnicu Sarat: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $381 in Ramnicu Sarat. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $69.0 in Ramnicu Sarat. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $226 in Ramnicu Sarat – so Ramnicu Sarat 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 Ramnicu Sarat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,710 in Ramnicu Sarat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,140 in Ramnicu Sarat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 30% less in Ramnicu Sarat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ramnicu Sarat, where all-in costs run around $1,140, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Ramnicu Sarat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ramnicu Sarat – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ramnicu Sarat. 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.