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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $962 in Targu Frumos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,501 in Targu Frumos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,041 in Targu Frumos, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 36% more than Targu Frumos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Targu Frumos are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Targu Frumos 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$8.69 RON 39.36

37.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$43.94 RON 199

7.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$8.87 RON 40.19

32.47%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.36 RON 10.70

74.58%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.51 RON 6.83

-7.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$1.24 RON 5.64

-26.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$1.96 RON 8.87

63.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$2.39 RON 10.83

195.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.49 RON 6.75

12.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.17 RON 5.31

83.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.54 RON 6.96

14.94%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.94 RON 13.33

-4.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$8.23 RON 37.28

11.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.33 RON 28.66

45.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.94 RON 49.56

15.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.01 RON 4.57

192.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.35 RON 6.13

17.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.46 RON 6.60

52.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.90 RON 8.61

24.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.79 RON 3.60

151.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.52 RON 2.38

280.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.86 RON 3.91

44.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.79 RON 3.56

53.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$6.16 RON 27.91

-25.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$7.52 RON 34.05

39.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$1.08 RON 4.88

56.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.69 RON 7.67

63.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.76 RON 3.46

-21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$21.62 RON 97.9

37.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.88 RON 3.97

495.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.85 RON 3.86

329.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$8.10 RON 36.69

-28.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.80 RON 8.17

-14.44%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$30.0K RON 135.7K

-23.90%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$26.8K RON 121.6K

-3.83%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$105 RON 477

-13.84%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$9.78 RON 44.28

157.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$8.44 RON 38.24

276.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$34.78 RON 158

97.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$21.76 RON 98.6

34.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$6.60 RON 29.88

-26.36%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$442 RON 2,000

-48.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$7,364 RON 33.3K

-43.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$54.7 RON 248

-13.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$31.32 RON 142

38.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$78.8 RON 357

1.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$82.4 RON 373

10.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$355 RON 1,610

205.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$341 RON 1,545

19.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$579 RON 2,621

240.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$443 RON 2,006

189.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$2,060 RON 9,328

96.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,604 RON 7,263

318.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

7.47

53.28%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Targu Frumos: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $355 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in Targu Frumos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $202 – 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 36%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,444 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $962 in Targu Frumos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 37% 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 $962, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.