Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Targu Frumos Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Targu Frumos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,059 in Targu Frumos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,553 in Targu Frumos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,046 in Targu Frumos.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 39% more expensive than Targu Frumos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Targu Frumos is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$230

$8.88 RON 40.41

48.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$941

$40.62 RON 185

32.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$165

$9.14 RON 41.61

3.06%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$62.0

$2.20 RON 10.02

61.36%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$1.32 RON 6.02

22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.46

$1.15 RON 5.23

-3.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.5

$2.16 RON 9.85

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.9

$2.71 RON 12.35

70.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.71

$1.61 RON 7.32

5.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.47

$1.16 RON 5.26

134.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.39

$1.64 RON 7.45

16.46%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.29

$2.99 RON 13.59

-15.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$175

$8.76 RON 39.88

14.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$141

$7.20 RON 32.78

12.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$203

$12.54 RON 57.1

-7.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.8

$0.98 RON 4.45

203.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.55

$1.32 RON 6.01

37.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.16

$1.52 RON 6.90

32.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.54

$1.91 RON 8.69

6.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$37.10

$0.96 RON 4.35

120.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.63

$0.92 RON 4.17

146.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.45

$0.78 RON 3.56

79.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.74

$0.74 RON 3.36

52.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.6

$6.26 RON 28.51

-31.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$272

$7.71 RON 35.10

101.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.68

$1.03 RON 4.69

70.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.8

$1.70 RON 7.76

111.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.69

$0.71 RON 3.23

-46.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$335

$19.86 RON 90.4

-3.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.03

$0.91 RON 4.13

51.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.83

$0.61 RON 2.79

-54.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$95.1

$7.34 RON 33.42

-25.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.77

$1.59 RON 7.24

-18.24%

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

$18.7K MX$326.4K

$28.3K RON 128.8K

-33.96%

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

$23.1K MX$404.0K

$27.5K RON 125.0K

-15.74%

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

$40.86 MX$714

$170 RON 772

-75.90%

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

$26.81 MX$468

$8.69 RON 39.55

208.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$523

$10.08 RON 45.88

197.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$908

$42.05 RON 191

23.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$469

$19.03 RON 86.6

41.04%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$110

$5.86 RON 26.69

7.51%

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

$436 MX$7,617

$422 RON 1,919

3.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$181.9K

$7,030 RON 32.0K

48.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$989

$72.7 RON 331

-22.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$775

$32.09 RON 146

38.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,798

$74.7 RON 340

37.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,843

$79.7 RON 363

32.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.8K

$382 RON 1,738

167.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$11.0K

$287 RON 1,304

120.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.3K

$576 RON 2,624

270.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.7K

$434 RON 1,977

186.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$68.2K

$1,695 RON 7,718

130.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$36.1K

$1,322 RON 6,020

56.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

8.17

38.80%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Targu Frumos: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $382 in Targu Frumos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $41.00 in Targu Frumos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $215 per month, with Targu Frumos cheaper across the board.

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

Mexico City vs Targu Frumos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Targu Frumos differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $1,059 including rent). Targu Frumos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,201 in Mexico City and $1,589 in Targu Frumos to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $382 in Targu Frumos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Targu Frumos runs roughly 4% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $422 in Targu Frumos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,059 in Targu Frumos versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Targu Frumos but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Frumos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Targu Frumos are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Targu Frumos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.