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: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $962 in Targu Frumos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,501 in Targu Frumos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $2,041 in Targu Frumos.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 74% more expensive than in Targu Frumos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Targu Frumos is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$8.69 RON 39.36

39.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$43.94 RON 199

22.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$8.87 RON 40.19

25.03%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.36 RON 10.70

73.73%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.51 RON 6.83

11.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$1.24 RON 5.64

12.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.96 RON 8.87

69.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$2.39 RON 10.83

146.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.49 RON 6.75

24.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.17 RON 5.31

170.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.54 RON 6.96

34.42%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.94 RON 13.33

-0.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$8.23 RON 37.28

52.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.33 RON 28.66

59.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$10.94 RON 49.56

47.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.01 RON 4.57

235.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.35 RON 6.13

54.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.46 RON 6.60

45.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.90 RON 8.61

26.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.79 RON 3.60

169.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.52 RON 2.38

286.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.86 RON 3.91

80.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.79 RON 3.56

72.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$6.16 RON 27.91

-6.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$7.52 RON 34.05

135.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.08 RON 4.88

91.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$1.69 RON 7.67

172.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.76 RON 3.46

-51.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$21.62 RON 97.9

-2.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$0.88 RON 3.97

132.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.85 RON 3.86

-31.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$8.10 RON 36.69

-25.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.80 RON 8.17

-13.89%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$30.0K RON 135.7K

-23.66%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$26.8K RON 121.6K

1.47%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$105 RON 477

-35.95%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$9.78 RON 44.28

213.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$8.44 RON 38.24

341.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$34.78 RON 158

76.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$21.76 RON 98.6

24.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$6.60 RON 29.88

7.73%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$442 RON 2,000

3.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$7,364 RON 33.3K

85.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$54.7 RON 248

35.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$31.32 RON 142

82.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$78.8 RON 357

46.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$82.4 RON 373

47.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$355 RON 1,610

222.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$341 RON 1,545

107.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$579 RON 2,621

345.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$443 RON 2,006

192.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$2,060 RON 9,328

94.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$1,604 RON 7,263

32.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

7.47

51.27%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Targu Frumos: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $355 in Targu Frumos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $44.00 in Targu Frumos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $202 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 74% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $962 including rent). Targu Frumos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,515 in Mexico City and $1,444 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $355 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 2% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $442 in Targu Frumos. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $962 in Targu Frumos versus $1,677 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 74% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.