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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $974 in Targu Mures.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,504 in Targu Mures.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,034 in Targu Mures.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 70% more expensive than in Targu Mures, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Targu Mures is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$8.71 RON 39.94

36.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$44.76 RON 205

15.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$8.36 RON 38.32

36.48%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$2.37 RON 10.88

68.35%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$1.52 RON 6.99

9.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$1.29 RON 5.92

3.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$1.95 RON 8.93

77.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$2.39 RON 10.94

146.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.47 RON 6.75

27.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.17 RON 5.36

177.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.48 RON 6.78

45.95%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$2.96 RON 13.57

-2.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$8.55 RON 39.19

50.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$6.18 RON 28.35

62.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$10.78 RON 49.44

47.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$1.03 RON 4.74

219.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.33 RON 6.08

51.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$1.45 RON 6.66

51.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.89 RON 8.67

24.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$0.80 RON 3.67

156.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$0.54 RON 2.47

251.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.90 RON 4.15

78.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.79 RON 3.63

77.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$6.27 RON 28.74

-12.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$7.84 RON 35.95

125.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$1.13 RON 5.16

82.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$1.69 RON 7.77

176.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.64 RON 2.93

-46.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$26.06 RON 119

-20.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$0.85 RON 3.89

147.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$0.85 RON 3.90

-34.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$7.71 RON 35.32

-24.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$1.80 RON 8.23

-10.56%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$29.0K RON 133.0K

-21.27%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$27.0K RON 123.6K

-0.80%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$103 RON 474

-36.91%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$9.62 RON 44.12

212.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$8.62 RON 39.50

331.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$43.97 RON 202

35.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$18.89 RON 86.6

40.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$6.39 RON 29.31

10.17%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$1,391 RON 6,375

-66.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$53.9 RON 247

40.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$30.69 RON 141

82.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$80.0 RON 367

39.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$82.4 RON 378

46.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$431 RON 1,975

155.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$305 RON 1,398

136.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$669 RON 3,066

278.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$500 RON 2,293

158.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$2,340 RON 10.7K

70.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$1,515 RON 6,947

37.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$1,060 RON 4,858

-2.10%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Targu Mures: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $431 in Targu Mures. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Targu Mures pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $45.00 in Targu Mures for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $203 per month, with Targu Mures 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 Mures: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Targu Mures differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $974 including rent). Targu Mures is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Targu Mures. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $431 in Targu Mures. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Targu Mures runs roughly 25% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $1,391 in Targu Mures. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $974 in Targu Mures versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Mures but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Mures 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 Mures 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 Mures gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.