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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,036 in Targu Jiu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,614 in Targu Jiu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,192 in Targu Jiu, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 26% 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 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$14.26 RON 64.6

-16.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$61.6 RON 279

-23.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.54 RON 34.15

55.84%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.58 RON 16.23

15.08%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$1.13 RON 5.12

23.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$2.36 RON 10.70

-61.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.87 RON 17.53

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$4.55 RON 20.61

55.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.80 RON 8.13

-6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.42 RON 6.41

51.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.72 RON 7.80

2.91%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.88 RON 13.02

-2.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$7.96 RON 36.06

15.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.06 RON 13.88

201.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$7.58 RON 34.33

66.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$0.99 RON 4.47

197.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.59 RON 7.20

-0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.21 RON 5.48

83.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.30 RON 5.90

81.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.82 RON 3.71

142.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.76 RON 3.43

160.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.68 RON 3.09

82.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.54 RON 2.43

124.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$5.44 RON 24.65

-15.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$3.09 RON 13.98

240.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$0.86 RON 3.89

96.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$1.12 RON 5.09

147.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.82 RON 3.70

-26.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$20.14 RON 91.2

47.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$0.67 RON 3.04

682.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$0.69 RON 3.13

428.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$6.70 RON 30.34

-13.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$1.58 RON 7.14

-2.53%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$30.1K RON 136.5K

-24.33%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$28.4K RON 128.4K

-8.96%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$201 RON 909

-54.82%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$6.28 RON 28.43

301.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$9.92 RON 44.92

220.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$39.76 RON 180

73.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$19.70 RON 89.2

49.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$8.83 RON 39.98

-44.96%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$648 RON 2,934

-65.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$7,186 RON 32.5K

-41.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$53.4 RON 242

-11.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$26.35 RON 119

64.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$54.3 RON 246

47.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$87.3 RON 395

4.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$360 RON 1,630

201.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$250 RON 1,131

63.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$500 RON 2,267

294.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$417 RON 1,888

207.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,916 RON 8,679

111.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$1,268 RON 5,741

428.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$555 RON 2,515

39.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.82

67.89%

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 Jiu: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $360 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 39% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $62.0 in Targu Jiu. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $164 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 26%, 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 $1,555 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,036 in Targu Jiu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 47% 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 $1,036, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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.