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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,059 in Targu Frumos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,553 in Targu Frumos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,046 in Targu Frumos, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 22% 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 3% lower, Targu Frumos 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$205

$8.88 RON 40.41

32.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$727

$40.62 RON 185

2.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$186

$9.14 RON 41.61

16.41%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.5

$2.20 RON 10.02

60.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.37

$1.32 RON 6.02

14.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$17.00

$1.15 RON 5.23

-15.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$2.16 RON 9.85

36.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.8

$2.71 RON 12.35

64.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.16

$1.61 RON 7.32

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$33.04

$1.16 RON 5.26

62.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.59

$1.64 RON 7.45

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.76

$2.99 RON 13.59

-16.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$8.76 RON 39.88

-4.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$146

$7.20 RON 32.78

15.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$187

$12.54 RON 57.1

-14.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.48

$0.98 RON 4.45

165.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.45

$1.32 RON 6.01

10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.19

$1.52 RON 6.90

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.26

$1.91 RON 8.69

8.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.01

$0.96 RON 4.35

85.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.16

$0.92 RON 4.17

138.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.16

$0.78 RON 3.56

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.80

$0.74 RON 3.36

45.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$71.3

$6.26 RON 28.51

-34.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$180

$7.71 RON 35.10

33.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.90

$1.03 RON 4.69

66.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.98

$1.70 RON 7.76

51.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.90

$0.71 RON 3.23

-28.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$462

$19.86 RON 90.4

33.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$57.0

$0.91 RON 4.13

258.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.51

$0.61 RON 2.79

308.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.7

$7.34 RON 33.42

-55.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.83

$1.59 RON 7.24

-17.61%

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

$30.3K MX$528.8K

$28.3K RON 128.8K

7.02%

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

$23.4K MX$409.2K

$27.5K RON 125.0K

-14.65%

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

$82.9 MX$1,447

$170 RON 772

-51.12%

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

$22.22 MX$388

$8.69 RON 39.55

155.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$512

$10.08 RON 45.88

191.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$902

$42.05 RON 191

22.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$320

$19.03 RON 86.6

-3.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$88.5

$5.86 RON 26.69

-13.48%

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

$201 MX$3,507

$422 RON 1,919

-52.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$91.0K

$7,030 RON 32.0K

-25.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$645

$72.7 RON 331

-49.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$695

$32.09 RON 146

24.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,370

$74.7 RON 340

5.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,521

$79.7 RON 363

9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$17.0K

$382 RON 1,738

154.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,169

$287 RON 1,304

63.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.7K

$576 RON 2,624

184.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.3K

$434 RON 1,977

181.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.9K

$1,695 RON 7,718

132.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$113.5K

$1,322 RON 6,020

391.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Targu Frumos: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $382 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $41.00 in Targu Frumos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $215 – 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 22%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,589 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,059 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 $1,059, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.