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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,036 in Targu Jiu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,614 in Targu Jiu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $2,192 in Targu Jiu.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 62% more expensive than in Targu Jiu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Targu Jiu is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$14.26 RON 64.6

-14.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$61.6 RON 279

-12.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$7.54 RON 34.15

47.08%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$3.58 RON 16.23

14.53%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.13 RON 5.12

48.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$2.36 RON 10.70

-41.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$3.87 RON 17.53

-13.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$4.55 RON 20.61

29.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.80 RON 8.13

2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.42 RON 6.41

123.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.72 RON 7.80

20.35%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.88 RON 13.02

1.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$7.96 RON 36.06

58.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$3.06 RON 13.88

230.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$7.58 RON 34.33

112.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$0.99 RON 4.47

242.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.59 RON 7.20

30.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.21 RON 5.48

75.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.30 RON 5.90

85.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.82 RON 3.71

159.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.76 RON 3.43

164.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.68 RON 3.09

127.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.54 RON 2.43

151.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$5.44 RON 24.65

6.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$3.09 RON 13.98

474.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$0.86 RON 3.89

140.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$1.12 RON 5.09

311.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.82 RON 3.70

-54.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$20.14 RON 91.2

5.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$0.67 RON 3.04

205.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.69 RON 3.13

-15.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$6.70 RON 30.34

-9.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.58 RON 7.14

-1.90%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$30.1K RON 136.5K

-24.09%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$28.4K RON 128.4K

-3.95%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$201 RON 909

-66.41%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$6.28 RON 28.43

387.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$9.92 RON 44.92

275.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$39.76 RON 180

54.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$19.70 RON 89.2

37.66%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$8.83 RON 39.98

-19.48%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$648 RON 2,934

-29.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$7,186 RON 32.5K

90.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$53.4 RON 242

38.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$26.35 RON 119

116.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$54.3 RON 246

112.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$87.3 RON 395

39.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$360 RON 1,630

218.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$250 RON 1,131

183.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$500 RON 2,267

414.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$417 RON 1,888

210.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$1,916 RON 8,679

109.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$1,268 RON 5,741

68.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$555 RON 2,515

94.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

6.82

65.69%

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 Jiu: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $360 in Targu Jiu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 95% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $62.0 in Targu Jiu. Groceries flip the comparison at $345 vs $164, with Targu Jiu cheaper for home cooking.

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 Jiu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Targu Jiu differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $1,036 including rent). Targu Jiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 95% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $360 in Targu Jiu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Targu Jiu runs roughly 5% 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 $648 in Targu Jiu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,036 in Targu Jiu versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Jiu but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Jiu 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.

Expats usually find Targu Jiu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.