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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $907 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,386 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,866 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 39% 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 6% lower, Sfantu Gheorghe 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$8.62 RON 37.39

35.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$40.74 RON 177

2.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$8.80 RON 38.21

18.18%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.03 RON 8.81

77.83%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$1.27 RON 5.53

15.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$1.16 RON 5.03

-21.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.15 RON 9.35

40.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$2.81 RON 12.22

59.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.62 RON 7.04

-14.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.16 RON 5.03

58.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.40 RON 6.06

15.00%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.95 RON 12.79

-12.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$8.75 RON 37.98

-2.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$4.20 RON 18.23

102.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$12.41 RON 53.9

-11.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$0.98 RON 4.26

178.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.37 RON 5.93

9.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.24 RON 5.37

58.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.92 RON 8.33

10.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.72 RON 3.13

158.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.91 RON 3.96

138.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.78 RON 3.40

37.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.68 RON 2.95

54.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$5.59 RON 24.26

-25.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$7.92 RON 34.37

29.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.05 RON 4.55

59.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$1.18 RON 5.12

111.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.67 RON 2.89

-19.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$19.90 RON 86.4

32.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.90 RON 3.91

244.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.74 RON 3.22

232.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$7.39 RON 32.09

-56.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.61 RON 6.99

-21.74%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$28.5K RON 123.6K

5.96%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$28.0K RON 121.4K

-16.17%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$169 RON 735

-50.42%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$8.86 RON 38.46

150.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$10.08 RON 43.74

194.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$40.75 RON 177

29.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$18.83 RON 81.7

-2.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$3.38 RON 14.67

46.45%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$427 RON 1,855

-53.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$6,995 RON 30.4K

-23.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$34.39 RON 149

4.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$18.14 RON 78.7

120.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$28.09 RON 122

180.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$70.0 RON 304

23.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$315 RON 1,368

209.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$228 RON 990

106.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$572 RON 2,483

178.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$439 RON 1,906

176.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$1,830 RON 7,942

120.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$1,373 RON 5,960

379.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$759 RON 3,296

-5.95%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Sfantu Gheorghe: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $315 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 6% 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 $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $41 in Sfantu Gheorghe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 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 39%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,360 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $907 in Sfantu Gheorghe. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 32% 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 $907, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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.