Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Targu Mures Cost of Living Comparison Between Almaty and Targu Mures

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,051 per month in Almaty vs $1,077 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,658 per month in Almaty vs $1,554 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,264 per month in Almaty vs $2,031 in Targu Mures, rent included.

Almaty is about 2% cheaper than Targu Mures, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Almaty and Targu Mures are more affordable than the global median – Almaty 22% lower, Targu Mures 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.66 ₸3,548

$8.54 RON 37.04

-10.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.33 ₸17.7K

$41.00 RON 178

-6.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.92 ₸3,205

$9.00 RON 39.05

-23.11%

Cappuccino

$2.32 ₸1,074

$2.30 RON 9.97

0.87%

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

$0.90 ₸418

$1.32 RON 5.71

-31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 ₸250

$1.15 RON 5.00

-53.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 ₸644

$2.13 RON 9.24

-34.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ₸1,373

$2.83 RON 12.26

4.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 ₸604

$1.55 RON 6.75

-15.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 ₸252

$1.21 RON 5.25

-55.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ₸718

$1.64 RON 7.12

-5.49%

Eggs

$1.70 ₸786

$3.07 RON 13.31

-44.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 ₸4,362

$8.82 RON 38.29

6.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.47 ₸2,069

$7.21 RON 31.27

-38.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.52 ₸3,480

$12.69 RON 55.1

-40.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 ₸619

$0.98 RON 4.25

36.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 ₸881

$1.31 RON 5.70

45.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ₸898

$1.53 RON 6.62

26.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 ₸969

$1.95 RON 8.45

7.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 ₸284

$0.93 RON 4.04

-34.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.40 ₸184

$0.92 RON 4.00

-56.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ₸595

$0.79 RON 3.45

63.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₸323

$0.80 RON 3.48

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 ₸917

$6.28 RON 27.26

-68.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.56 ₸3,963

$8.11 RON 35.20

5.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ₸388

$1.07 RON 4.66

-21.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ₸991

$1.65 RON 7.14

29.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 ₸112

$0.56 RON 2.43

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.06 ₸8,359

$14.85 RON 64.5

21.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 ₸553

$0.96 RON 4.16

25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 ₸304

$0.73 RON 3.17

-9.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 ₸2,154

$7.25 RON 31.45

-35.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 ₸223

$1.61 RON 7.00

-70.19%

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

$23.3K ₸10.8M

$28.1K RON 121.9K

-17.22%

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

$27.4K ₸12.7M

$28.2K RON 122.4K

-2.92%

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

$63.3 ₸29.3K

$172 RON 745

-63.13%

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

$8.79 ₸4,067

$8.68 RON 37.67

1.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.53 ₸6,264

$9.64 RON 41.84

40.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.24 ₸21.9K

$46.95 RON 204

0.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.59 ₸9,995

$18.68 RON 81.1

15.58%

Cinema Ticket

$5.13 ₸2,375

$5.93 RON 25.72

-13.49%

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

$262 ₸121.3K

$1,387 RON 6,019

-81.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K ₸6.0M

$6,872 RON 29.8K

89.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.8 ₸40.2K

$71.1 RON 308

22.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.68 ₸20.7K

$31.67 RON 137

41.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 ₸44.9K

$74.4 RON 323

30.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 ₸55.4K

$81.9 RON 355

46.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 ₸308.8K

$445 RON 1,930

49.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 ₸195.5K

$312 RON 1,354

35.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 ₸538.6K

$567 RON 2,459

105.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 ₸351.4K

$412 RON 1,788

84.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,127 ₸984.8K

$2,379 RON 10.3K

-10.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,298 ₸600.7K

$1,556 RON 6,754

-16.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$799 ₸369.9K

$1,123 RON 4,872

-28.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.39

8.17

125.09%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Almaty: April 22, 2026

Last update for Targu Mures: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $667 in Almaty versus $445 in Targu Mures. 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 40% higher in Targu Mures, 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 $38 in Almaty versus $41 in Targu Mures. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $218 – making Almaty 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

Almaty vs Targu Mures: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Targu Mures is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,576 per month in Almaty and $1,616 in Targu Mures. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Almaty, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Almaty and $41.00 in Targu Mures. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,051 in Almaty and $1,077 in Targu Mures. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Almaty, where all-in costs run around $1,051, than in Targu Mures at $1,077. In Almaty it covers expenses comfortably, while in Targu Mures it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Almaty – 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 Almaty. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Targu Mures makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.