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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $839 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,355 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,870 in Sfantu Gheorghe, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 55% more than Sfantu Gheorghe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sfantu Gheorghe are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Sfantu Gheorghe 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$8.60 RON 38.81

39.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$803

$44.65 RON 202

6.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.70 RON 34.76

52.60%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.9

$2.61 RON 11.78

57.85%

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

$1.40 MX$23.71

$1.34 RON 6.05

4.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.46

$1.08 RON 4.88

-15.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.3

$2.59 RON 11.71

23.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.25 RON 10.14

214.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.40

$1.46 RON 6.58

15.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.43

$1.17 RON 5.27

83.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.06

$1.47 RON 6.64

20.41%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.69

$3.53 RON 15.93

-20.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.10 RON 36.59

13.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

$4.80 RON 21.69

92.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$8.36 RON 37.76

51.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.99

$1.14 RON 5.14

158.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.75

$1.63 RON 7.37

-3.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.65

$1.27 RON 5.71

74.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.03

$2.69 RON 12.13

-12.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.76

$0.70 RON 3.15

184.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.53

$0.63 RON 2.86

214.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.01

$1.08 RON 4.86

14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.52

$0.84 RON 3.79

44.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.0

$5.14 RON 23.21

-10.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.67 RON 34.63

37.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.66

$0.97 RON 4.40

74.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.00

$1.10 RON 4.95

151.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.21

$0.90 RON 4.07

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$503

$16.69 RON 75.4

77.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.7

$1.02 RON 4.61

413.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.8

$0.92 RON 4.17

296.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.0

$8.62 RON 38.92

-32.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.06

$1.63 RON 7.35

-5.52%

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

$22.8K MX$386.3K

$30.1K RON 136.0K

-24.33%

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

$25.8K MX$437.3K

$26.1K RON 117.7K

-0.97%

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

$90.7 MX$1,536

$121 RON 545

-24.86%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$9.53 RON 43.03

164.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$538

$13.11 RON 59.2

142.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$42.20 RON 191

63.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$21.66 RON 97.8

35.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.4

$3.25 RON 14.68

49.54%

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

$226 MX$3,823

$462 RON 2,085

-51.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.0K

$7,059 RON 31.9K

-40.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$803

$27.74 RON 125

70.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$736

$14.43 RON 65.1

201.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,359

$41.29 RON 186

94.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,548

$66.4 RON 300

37.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$304 RON 1,372

257.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,923

$224 RON 1,011

82.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.4K

$549 RON 2,477

259.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$408 RON 1,844

213.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.5K

$1,934 RON 8,730

109.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.6K

$1,396 RON 6,302

380.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$710 RON 3,206

8.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.75

69.63%

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 Sfantu Gheorghe: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $304 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 Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Sfantu Gheorghe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $194 – 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 55%, 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 $1,259 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $839 in Sfantu Gheorghe. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 78% 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 $839, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.