Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Targu Mures Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Targu Mures

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,061 in Targu Mures.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,549 in Targu Mures.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $2,036 in Targu Mures.

Living in Phuket is roughly 19% more expensive than in Targu Mures, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Targu Mures 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿153

$8.46 RON 38.78

-46.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,562

$39.85 RON 183

16.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿291

$8.79 RON 40.30

-1.59%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$2.19 RON 10.05

41.10%

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

$0.68 ฿22.85

$1.32 RON 6.03

-48.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.41

$1.15 RON 5.26

-67.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.4

$2.25 RON 10.32

7.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$2.78 RON 12.75

37.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.4

$1.62 RON 7.41

34.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.2

$1.22 RON 5.59

49.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.3

$1.59 RON 7.31

37.11%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.3

$2.92 RON 13.40

-23.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿671

$8.68 RON 39.78

129.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿123

$6.94 RON 31.83

-47.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿457

$12.63 RON 57.9

7.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$1.02 RON 4.66

222.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.32 RON 6.04

28.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.6

$1.52 RON 6.97

53.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.3

$1.97 RON 9.03

3.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$0.91 RON 4.15

75.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.4

$0.93 RON 4.28

60.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.11

$0.78 RON 3.58

29.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.80 RON 3.65

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$6.25 RON 28.67

-28.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿628

$7.39 RON 33.89

152.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.2

$1.05 RON 4.81

70.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.2

$1.61 RON 7.40

73.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.81

$0.56 RON 2.58

153.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

$15.04 RON 68.9

-24.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$0.90 RON 4.13

243.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.13

$0.72 RON 3.29

44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿459

$7.52 RON 34.47

81.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.15

$1.61 RON 7.39

-18.63%

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

$27.3K ฿919.1K

$27.8K RON 127.6K

-1.98%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$28.5K RON 130.8K

16.50%

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

$123 ฿4,149

$167 RON 765

-26.18%

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

$13.81 ฿465

$8.53 RON 39.09

61.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿624

$10.05 RON 46.10

84.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,034

$46.19 RON 212

30.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿566

$18.49 RON 84.8

-9.14%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿299

$5.83 RON 26.73

52.49%

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

$687 ฿23.1K

$1,378 RON 6,320

-50.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿523.9K

$7,028 RON 32.2K

121.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,942

$72.9 RON 334

-20.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,168

$31.90 RON 146

8.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,872

$73.9 RON 339

55.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,860

$80.2 RON 368

5.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

$440 RON 2,019

40.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

$315 RON 1,445

40.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿69.0K

$559 RON 2,563

266.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.7K

$407 RON 1,864

270.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.2K

$2,294 RON 10.5K

55.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.6K

$1,504 RON 6,898

66.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

$1,062 RON 4,869

-52.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.17

-34.76%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Last update for Targu Mures: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $440 in Targu Mures. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Targu Mures pays 111% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $40.00 in Targu Mures for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $214 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

Phuket vs Targu Mures: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Targu Mures is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 111% 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: $618 in Phuket versus $440 in Targu Mures. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $687 in Phuket versus $1,378 in Targu Mures. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,061 in Targu Mures versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Mures but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Mures the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Targu Mures is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket 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 19% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.