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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,113 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,742 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,372 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% more than Ramnicu Sarat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ramnicu Sarat are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ramnicu Sarat 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$13.23 RON 59.9

-9.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$66.3 RON 300

-28.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.68 RON 34.76

52.99%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.46 RON 15.65

19.08%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.85 RON 8.36

-24.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.37 RON 6.20

-33.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$2.25 RON 10.19

42.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.41 RON 15.43

107.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.73 RON 7.84

-2.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.31 RON 5.94

64.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.79 RON 8.09

-1.12%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$3.07 RON 13.90

-8.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.04 RON 36.40

14.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.03 RON 27.30

53.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$9.36 RON 42.40

35.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.43 RON 6.47

106.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.71 RON 7.76

-7.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.65 RON 7.49

34.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$2.76 RON 12.48

-14.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.95 RON 4.32

109.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.00 RON 4.51

98.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.03 RON 4.68

20.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.87 RON 3.96

39.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$6.44 RON 29.18

-28.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$6.71 RON 30.38

56.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.08 RON 4.89

56.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.80 RON 8.14

53.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.86 RON 3.89

-30.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$21.02 RON 95.2

41.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.86 RON 3.90

509.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.80 RON 3.63

356.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$7.60 RON 34.40

-23.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.95 RON 8.83

-21.03%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$29.9K RON 135.6K

-23.86%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$26.0K RON 117.6K

-0.64%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$179 RON 812

-49.42%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$7.95 RON 36.00

216.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$8.67 RON 39.28

266.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$36.87 RON 167

86.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$21.06 RON 95.4

39.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$7.30 RON 33.06

-33.42%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$595 RON 2,693

-62.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$8,021 RON 36.3K

-47.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$70.4 RON 319

-32.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$47.78 RON 216

-9.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$91.7 RON 415

-12.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$92.1 RON 417

-0.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$441 RON 1,999

146.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$256 RON 1,160

59.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$575 RON 2,603

243.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$420 RON 1,902

205.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,947 RON 8,818

107.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,481 RON 6,707

352.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.99

63.81%

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 Ramnicu Sarat: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $441 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $66.0 in Ramnicu Sarat. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $212 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 17%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,670 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,113 in Ramnicu Sarat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 41% 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 $1,113, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.