Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sfantu Gheorghe Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sfantu Gheorghe

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $918 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,429 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,940 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 38% more than Sfantu Gheorghe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sfantu Gheorghe are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sfantu Gheorghe 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$8.45 RON 38.36

40.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$40.07 RON 182

7.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$9.12 RON 41.40

16.78%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$2.01 RON 9.12

71.64%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$1.27 RON 5.75

18.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$1.11 RON 5.03

-14.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$2.13 RON 9.69

42.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$2.72 RON 12.35

69.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$1.54 RON 7.01

-10.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.22 RON 5.52

51.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$1.35 RON 6.14

19.26%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$3.05 RON 13.83

-15.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$8.74 RON 39.70

-5.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$4.11 RON 18.68

103.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$12.30 RON 55.9

-13.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$0.98 RON 4.46

168.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$1.31 RON 5.95

13.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$1.30 RON 5.91

47.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$1.98 RON 9.01

5.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$0.72 RON 3.29

158.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$0.87 RON 3.95

159.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$0.79 RON 3.57

34.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$0.67 RON 3.05

62.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$5.52 RON 25.05

-24.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$8.46 RON 38.39

22.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$1.05 RON 4.75

63.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$1.13 RON 5.13

130.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$0.67 RON 3.03

-19.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$19.63 RON 89.1

37.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$0.95 RON 4.29

229.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$0.67 RON 3.06

274.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$7.51 RON 34.11

-58.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$1.58 RON 7.19

-19.62%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$27.9K RON 126.9K

8.69%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$28.0K RON 127.3K

-15.95%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$168 RON 764

-50.68%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$8.52 RON 38.69

166.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$9.63 RON 43.74

205.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$40.76 RON 185

25.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$18.87 RON 85.7

-2.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$3.35 RON 15.21

47.16%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$431 RON 1,958

-54.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$6,922 RON 31.4K

-23.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$34.47 RON 156

7.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$18.69 RON 84.9

113.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$27.87 RON 127

187.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$69.8 RON 317

28.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$320 RON 1,451

199.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$230 RON 1,042

107.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$565 RON 2,566

191.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$440 RON 1,999

178.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$1,926 RON 8,744

103.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$1,397 RON 6,340

362.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

$724 RON 3,287

-7.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.75

69.19%

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 Sfantu Gheorghe: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $320 in Sfantu Gheorghe. 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 9% higher in Sfantu Gheorghe, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Sfantu Gheorghe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $196 – making Sfantu Gheorghe the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Sfantu Gheorghe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,377 in Sfantu Gheorghe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sfantu Gheorghe, 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 $918 in Sfantu Gheorghe. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% less in Sfantu Gheorghe. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sfantu Gheorghe, where all-in costs run around $918, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Sfantu Gheorghe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sfantu Gheorghe – 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 Sfantu Gheorghe. 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.