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: $1,481 in Mexico City versus $1,044 in Targu Frumos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,352 in Mexico City versus $1,573 in Targu Frumos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,222 in Mexico City versus $2,102 in Targu Frumos.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 42% more expensive than in Targu Frumos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Targu Frumos is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 MX$229

$8.79 RON 40.31

49.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$932

$41.04 RON 188

30.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$166

$9.01 RON 41.35

5.99%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MX$64.8

$2.31 RON 10.58

61.04%

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

$1.57 MX$27.28

$1.28 RON 5.85

22.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.12

$1.16 RON 5.32

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.4

$2.24 RON 10.30

41.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.6

$2.72 RON 12.48

70.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.58 RON 7.25

8.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$45.54

$1.21 RON 5.54

116.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.87

$1.58 RON 7.24

19.62%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.17

$3.04 RON 13.95

-14.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 MX$172

$8.89 RON 40.76

11.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 MX$143

$7.13 RON 32.72

15.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MX$205

$12.46 RON 57.1

-5.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$52.1

$0.98 RON 4.49

206.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.32

$1.36 RON 6.25

32.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.08

$1.52 RON 6.95

36.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.23

$1.97 RON 9.05

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.05

$0.91 RON 4.15

127.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.84

$0.93 RON 4.25

133.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.41

$0.75 RON 3.46

86.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.78 RON 3.59

37.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$71.7

$6.06 RON 27.78

-32.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$303

$7.43 RON 34.07

134.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.16

$1.04 RON 4.77

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MX$63.5

$1.67 RON 7.68

118.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.70 RON 3.23

-45.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$326

$19.76 RON 90.6

-5.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.13

$0.94 RON 4.33

41.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.27

$0.66 RON 3.01

-54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 MX$95.9

$7.40 RON 33.93

-25.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.72

$1.60 RON 7.35

-18.13%

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

$19.2K MX$333.5K

$28.3K RON 129.8K

-32.27%

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

$23.7K MX$413.3K

$28.3K RON 129.7K

-15.98%

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

$41.14 MX$716

$173 RON 793

-76.21%

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

$27.74 MX$483

$8.68 RON 39.83

219.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.13 MX$524

$9.71 RON 44.56

210.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$935

$40.92 RON 188

31.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$452

$19.25 RON 88.3

34.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MX$113

$5.74 RON 26.33

13.07%

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

$437 MX$7,598

$437 RON 2,003

0.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.0K

$6,830 RON 31.3K

53.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,015

$73.2 RON 336

-20.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$798

$32.44 RON 149

41.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,765

$75.1 RON 345

35.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,854

$79.9 RON 367

33.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MX$17.5K

$389 RON 1,785

158.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.0K

$286 RON 1,310

121.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 MX$37.4K

$578 RON 2,652

271.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MX$21.7K

$443 RON 2,032

181.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.2K

$1,958 RON 8,980

97.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.3K

$1,414 RON 6,485

47.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Targu Frumos: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,005 in Mexico City and $389 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 $291 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 42% in total monthly costs ($1,481 vs $1,044 including rent). Targu Frumos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,222 in Mexico City and $1,566 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: $1,005 in Mexico City versus $389 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 6% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $437 in Mexico City versus $437 in Targu Frumos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,044 in Targu Frumos versus $1,481 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 42% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.