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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,041 in Targu Jiu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,651 in Targu Jiu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,261 in Targu Jiu, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 21% more than Targu Jiu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Targu Jiu are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Targu Jiu 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$204

$13.57 RON 62.0

-13.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$731

$70.1 RON 320

-40.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$183

$8.03 RON 36.66

30.88%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.5

$3.43 RON 15.66

4.66%

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

$1.51 MX$26.31

$1.12 RON 5.12

34.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.96

$2.37 RON 10.83

-61.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.6

$3.43 RON 15.67

-13.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.9

$3.80 RON 17.36

16.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.35

$1.77 RON 8.09

-20.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.87

$1.42 RON 6.51

32.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$27.19

$1.89 RON 8.63

-17.46%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.50

$2.99 RON 13.66

-12.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$145

$7.84 RON 35.81

6.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$146

$3.26 RON 14.90

156.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$189

$7.89 RON 36.02

37.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$47.31

$1.02 RON 4.66

165.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.25

$1.62 RON 7.41

-6.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.67

$1.26 RON 5.74

48.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$38.19

$1.39 RON 6.35

57.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.40

$0.96 RON 4.36

93.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.90

$1.01 RON 4.62

120.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.71 RON 3.24

50.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.94

$0.57 RON 2.58

91.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$73.0

$5.55 RON 25.37

-24.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$182

$3.13 RON 14.30

233.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.91

$0.88 RON 4.03

88.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.56

$1.12 RON 5.11

133.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.45

$0.72 RON 3.28

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$456

$19.97 RON 91.2

31.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.7

$0.68 RON 3.10

352.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.94

$0.66 RON 2.99

263.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.5

$7.01 RON 32.02

-55.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.87

$1.67 RON 7.63

-21.56%

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

$29.8K MX$519.9K

$29.3K RON 133.8K

1.70%

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

$23.3K MX$406.8K

$30.5K RON 139.2K

-23.48%

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

$81.3 MX$1,418

$180 RON 821

-54.80%

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

$22.56 MX$393

$6.60 RON 30.12

241.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$524

$10.41 RON 47.52

188.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$923

$41.78 RON 191

26.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$321

$19.22 RON 87.8

-4.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.8

$9.00 RON 41.08

-45.33%

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

$201 MX$3,502

$653 RON 2,982

-69.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$90.2K

$14.6K RON 66.5K

-64.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$627

$55.0 RON 251

-34.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$700

$27.42 RON 125

46.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,390

$58.1 RON 265

37.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,508

$92.4 RON 422

-6.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$17.1K

$380 RON 1,733

157.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,206

$251 RON 1,146

87.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.8K

$514 RON 2,347

221.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$21.0K

$430 RON 1,965

179.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$69.0K

$2,574 RON 11.8K

53.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$115.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.8K

$545 RON 2,488

24.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.1

60.85%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Targu Jiu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $380 in Targu Jiu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $70.0 in Targu Jiu. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $169 in Targu Jiu – so Targu Jiu wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Jiu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 21%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,561 in Targu Jiu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Targu Jiu, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $1,041 in Targu Jiu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 31% less in Targu Jiu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Targu Jiu, where all-in costs run around $1,041, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Targu Jiu 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 Jiu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Targu Jiu. 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.