Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Targu Frumos Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Targu Frumos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,043 in Targu Frumos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,565 in Targu Frumos, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,088 in Targu Frumos, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 21% more than Targu Frumos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Targu Frumos are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Targu Frumos 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$8.72 RON 37.83

33.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$40.31 RON 175

3.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$8.87 RON 38.49

17.25%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.22 RON 9.62

62.61%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$1.26 RON 5.47

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$1.10 RON 4.76

-17.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.13 RON 9.23

42.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$2.83 RON 12.28

57.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.55 RON 6.71

-10.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.22 RON 5.28

50.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.65 RON 7.18

-2.42%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$2.94 RON 12.75

-12.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$8.40 RON 36.46

1.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$7.11 RON 30.86

19.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$12.70 RON 55.1

-13.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$0.99 RON 4.29

175.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.36 RON 5.89

10.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.51 RON 6.57

29.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.99 RON 8.63

6.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.93 RON 4.04

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.94 RON 4.08

130.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.75 RON 3.26

42.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.80 RON 3.48

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$6.23 RON 27.02

-32.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$8.24 RON 35.78

24.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.04 RON 4.52

60.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$1.68 RON 7.30

48.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.72 RON 3.13

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$19.82 RON 86.0

32.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.93 RON 4.05

233.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.66 RON 2.85

272.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$7.45 RON 32.35

-56.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.53 RON 6.64

-17.65%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$28.2K RON 122.4K

6.93%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$28.1K RON 121.8K

-16.46%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$170 RON 737

-50.53%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$8.65 RON 37.53

156.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$10.07 RON 43.72

194.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$40.95 RON 178

28.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$19.49 RON 84.6

-5.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$5.79 RON 25.12

-14.51%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$436 RON 1,892

-54.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$6,824 RON 29.6K

-22.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$71.0 RON 308

-49.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$32.57 RON 141

23.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$74.8 RON 325

5.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$79.9 RON 347

8.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$394 RON 1,708

148.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$292 RON 1,266

61.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$598 RON 2,594

166.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$432 RON 1,877

180.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$1,721 RON 7,469

134.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$1,382 RON 5,997

376.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.17

39.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Last update for Targu Frumos: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $394 in Targu Frumos. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42 in Playa del Carmen versus $40 in Targu Frumos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $216 – making Targu Frumos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Playa del Carmen vs Targu Frumos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,564 in Targu Frumos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Targu Frumos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $1,043 in Targu Frumos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Targu Frumos. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Targu Frumos, where all-in costs run around $1,043, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. In Targu Frumos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Targu Frumos – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Targu Frumos. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.