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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,259 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,061 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,177 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,549 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,095 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,036 in Targu Mures, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 19% more than Targu Mures, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Targu Mures are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Targu Mures 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$209

$8.46 RON 38.78

41.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$733

$39.85 RON 183

5.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$8.79 RON 40.30

18.54%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.4

$2.19 RON 10.05

60.27%

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

$1.52 MX$26.50

$1.32 RON 6.03

15.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.91

$1.15 RON 5.26

-20.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.1

$2.25 RON 10.32

35.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.4

$2.78 RON 12.75

57.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.84

$1.62 RON 7.41

-12.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$32.00

$1.22 RON 5.59

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.57

$1.59 RON 7.31

2.52%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.38

$2.92 RON 13.40

-13.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$150

$8.68 RON 39.78

-1.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$6.94 RON 31.83

22.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$189

$12.63 RON 57.9

-14.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.14

$1.02 RON 4.66

169.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.10

$1.32 RON 6.04

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.97

$1.52 RON 6.97

24.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.93

$1.97 RON 9.03

10.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.10

$0.91 RON 4.15

95.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.87

$0.93 RON 4.28

138.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.68

$0.78 RON 3.58

37.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.87

$0.80 RON 3.65

35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.5

$6.25 RON 28.67

-33.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$183

$7.39 RON 33.89

41.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.47

$1.05 RON 4.81

65.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.11

$1.61 RON 7.40

60.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.97

$0.56 RON 2.58

-8.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$453

$15.04 RON 68.9

72.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.1

$0.90 RON 4.13

256.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.73

$0.72 RON 3.29

247.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.7

$7.52 RON 34.47

-57.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.96

$1.61 RON 7.39

-21.74%

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

$29.7K MX$518.8K

$27.8K RON 127.6K

6.68%

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

$23.7K MX$413.9K

$28.5K RON 130.8K

-16.95%

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

$82.0 MX$1,434

$167 RON 765

-50.83%

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

$22.73 MX$397

$8.53 RON 39.09

166.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$514

$10.05 RON 46.10

192.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$912

$46.19 RON 212

12.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

$18.49 RON 84.8

-0.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.2

$5.83 RON 26.73

-15.44%

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

$202 MX$3,526

$1,378 RON 6,320

-85.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.2K

$7,028 RON 32.2K

-25.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$628

$72.9 RON 334

-50.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$705

$31.90 RON 146

26.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,396

$73.9 RON 339

8.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,561

$80.2 RON 368

11.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.6K

$440 RON 2,019

115.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,132

$315 RON 1,445

47.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.5K

$559 RON 2,563

191.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$407 RON 1,864

193.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.7K

$2,294 RON 10.5K

71.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.3K

$1,504 RON 6,898

327.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$1,062 RON 4,869

-38.02%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Targu Mures: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $440 in Targu Mures. 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 61% higher in Targu Mures, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $40.00 in Targu Mures. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $214 – making Targu Mures 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 Mures: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,888 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,592 in Targu Mures. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Targu Mures, 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 $1,259 in Playa del Carmen and $1,061 in Targu Mures. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 72% less in Targu Mures. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Targu Mures, where all-in costs run around $1,061, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. In Targu Mures 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 Mures – 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 Mures. 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.