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: $1,481 in Mexico City versus $1,013 in Targu Jiu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,352 in Mexico City versus $1,622 in Targu Jiu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,222 in Mexico City versus $2,231 in Targu Jiu.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 46% more expensive than in Targu Jiu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Targu Jiu is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 MX$229

$13.84 RON 63.4

-4.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$934

$67.8 RON 310

-20.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$167

$8.12 RON 37.19

17.61%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MX$64.9

$3.32 RON 15.18

12.05%

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

$1.57 MX$27.33

$1.13 RON 5.15

38.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.16

$2.40 RON 11.00

-51.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.5

$3.35 RON 15.33

-5.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.8

$3.96 RON 18.15

16.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.74

$1.77 RON 8.11

-3.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$45.63

$1.42 RON 6.50

84.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.93

$1.85 RON 8.48

2.16%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.26

$3.02 RON 13.83

-13.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 MX$173

$7.97 RON 36.47

24.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 MX$143

$3.16 RON 14.46

160.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MX$205

$7.69 RON 35.20

53.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$52.2

$1.02 RON 4.68

194.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.38

$1.57 RON 7.21

14.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.16

$1.30 RON 5.97

59.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.30

$1.40 RON 6.42

40.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.13

$0.90 RON 4.14

130.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.92

$0.98 RON 4.48

121.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.46

$0.66 RON 3.02

112.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.74

$0.60 RON 2.74

78.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$71.8

$5.66 RON 25.92

-27.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$304

$3.12 RON 14.30

458.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.22

$0.96 RON 4.39

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MX$63.6

$1.17 RON 5.34

211.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.63

$0.70 RON 3.21

-45.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$326

$19.96 RON 91.4

-6.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$0.67 RON 3.07

98.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.28

$0.61 RON 2.77

-50.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 MX$96.1

$6.73 RON 30.83

-18.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.76

$1.69 RON 7.73

-22.49%

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

$19.2K MX$334.2K

$29.2K RON 133.6K

-34.33%

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

$23.7K MX$414.1K

$30.7K RON 140.6K

-22.66%

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

$41.14 MX$717

$178 RON 814

-76.86%

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

$27.74 MX$484

$6.63 RON 30.35

318.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.13 MX$525

$10.21 RON 46.75

195.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$937

$40.73 RON 187

31.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$453

$19.42 RON 88.9

33.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MX$113

$9.23 RON 42.25

-29.69%

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

$437 MX$7,614

$657 RON 3,009

-33.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.3K

$14.8K RON 67.6K

-29.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

$54.2 RON 248

7.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$800

$28.00 RON 128

63.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,769

$57.3 RON 262

77.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,858

$93.9 RON 430

13.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MX$17.5K

$376 RON 1,721

167.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.0K

$255 RON 1,167

148.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 MX$37.5K

$521 RON 2,385

312.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MX$21.7K

$432 RON 1,980

188.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.3K

$2,646 RON 12.1K

45.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

$554 RON 2,535

93.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

7.1

59.72%

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 Jiu: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,005 in Mexico City and $376 in Targu Jiu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 94% 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 $68.0 in Targu Jiu. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $169, 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 46% in total monthly costs ($1,481 vs $1,013 including rent). Targu Jiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 94% 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: $1,005 in Mexico City versus $376 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 7% 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 $657 in Targu Jiu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,013 in Targu Jiu versus $1,481 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 46% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.