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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,163 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,819 in Ramnicu Sarat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,475 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 4% lower, Ramnicu Sarat 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$13.72 RON 59.7

-12.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$70.2 RON 305

-39.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$8.26 RON 35.91

28.21%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$3.41 RON 14.82

6.16%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$1.96 RON 8.51

-25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$1.31 RON 5.68

-28.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$2.33 RON 10.13

32.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$3.19 RON 13.90

39.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.71 RON 7.42

-16.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.24 RON 5.39

51.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.86 RON 8.07

-12.37%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$3.20 RON 13.92

-17.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$9.88 RON 42.98

-16.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$6.73 RON 29.27

23.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$11.68 RON 50.8

-4.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$1.40 RON 6.10

89.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.74 RON 7.56

-13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.72 RON 7.50

15.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$2.42 RON 10.51

-14.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.05 RON 4.55

70.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$1.11 RON 4.82

96.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.00 RON 4.35

8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.86 RON 3.75

20.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$6.58 RON 28.64

-39.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$7.09 RON 30.83

43.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.15 RON 4.99

50.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$1.84 RON 8.01

35.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.70 RON 3.06

-25.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$19.47 RON 84.7

38.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$0.90 RON 3.90

248.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$0.75 RON 3.26

220.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$8.27 RON 35.97

-62.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$1.69 RON 7.37

-24.85%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$28.5K RON 124.0K

8.30%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$28.0K RON 121.7K

-16.69%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$183 RON 796

-55.17%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$7.69 RON 33.46

191.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$9.20 RON 40.02

222.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$42.17 RON 183

23.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$19.54 RON 85.0

-4.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$8.22 RON 35.75

-39.54%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$551 RON 2,398

-64.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$8,429 RON 36.7K

-37.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$69.9 RON 304

-47.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$64.0 RON 279

-37.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$76.3 RON 332

4.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$79.2 RON 344

12.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$384 RON 1,671

150.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$295 RON 1,282

57.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$598 RON 2,602

166.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$433 RON 1,884

179.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$1,837 RON 7,990

114.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$1,341 RON 5,833

380.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ramnicu Sarat: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $384 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 $70.0 in Ramnicu Sarat. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $228 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,744 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,163 in Ramnicu Sarat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 39% 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 $1,163, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.