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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,147 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,781 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,414 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 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$14.05 RON 63.6

-15.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$68.3 RON 309

-37.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.20 RON 37.08

29.88%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.31 RON 14.96

4.23%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.93 RON 8.73

-22.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$1.35 RON 6.09

-29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.33 RON 10.54

30.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$3.25 RON 14.72

41.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.72 RON 7.78

-19.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.28 RON 5.79

44.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.92 RON 8.68

-16.15%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$3.20 RON 14.50

-19.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$9.54 RON 43.17

-13.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.65 RON 30.10

25.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.41 RON 51.6

-6.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.43 RON 6.46

83.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.72 RON 7.80

-13.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.73 RON 7.84

10.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.44 RON 11.02

-14.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.01 RON 4.56

84.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.11 RON 5.01

103.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.03 RON 4.64

2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.85 RON 3.85

28.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$6.48 RON 29.31

-35.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$6.69 RON 30.25

55.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.14 RON 5.14

50.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.85 RON 8.38

41.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.67 RON 3.04

-19.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$20.13 RON 91.1

33.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$0.95 RON 4.30

229.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.74 RON 3.36

239.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$7.90 RON 35.72

-60.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$1.62 RON 7.34

-21.60%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$28.5K RON 128.7K

6.71%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$27.2K RON 123.1K

-13.39%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$189 RON 857

-56.17%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$7.92 RON 35.84

186.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$9.02 RON 40.79

226.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$41.74 RON 189

22.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$19.29 RON 87.3

-4.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$8.11 RON 36.70

-39.21%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$557 RON 2,519

-64.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$8,328 RON 37.7K

-36.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$69.5 RON 314

-46.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$64.6 RON 292

-38.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$75.9 RON 343

5.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$81.7 RON 369

9.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$387 RON 1,751

147.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$288 RON 1,304

65.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$586 RON 2,650

180.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$443 RON 2,005

176.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,937 RON 8,764

102.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,387 RON 6,272

365.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ramnicu Sarat: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $387 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $68.0 in Ramnicu Sarat. Groceries tell a different story – $250 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,721 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,147 in Ramnicu Sarat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 34% 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 $1,147, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.