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 $1,261 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,077 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,130 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,554 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,999 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,031 in Targu Mures, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 17% 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 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.67 MX$202

$8.54 RON 37.04

36.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.88 MX$726

$41.00 RON 178

2.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.40 MX$180

$9.00 RON 39.05

15.56%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.30 RON 9.97

56.96%

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

$1.47 MX$25.45

$1.32 RON 5.71

11.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.80

$1.15 RON 5.00

-20.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

$2.13 RON 9.24

42.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

$2.83 RON 12.26

57.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.83

$1.55 RON 6.75

-10.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.93

$1.21 RON 5.25

52.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.82

$1.64 RON 7.12

-1.83%

Eggs

$2.57 MX$44.52

$3.07 RON 13.31

-16.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$8.82 RON 38.29

-3.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$147

$7.21 RON 31.27

17.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 MX$190

$12.69 RON 55.1

-13.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 MX$47.25

$0.98 RON 4.25

178.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.92

$1.31 RON 5.70

14.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.93

$1.53 RON 6.62

28.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.70

$1.95 RON 8.45

8.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.30

$0.93 RON 4.04

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.67

$0.92 RON 4.00

135.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.59

$0.79 RON 3.45

35.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 MX$18.18

$0.80 RON 3.48

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.6

$6.28 RON 27.26

-33.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

$8.11 RON 35.20

26.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.07 RON 4.66

56.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

$1.65 RON 7.14

50.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.56 RON 2.43

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.27 MX$455

$14.85 RON 64.5

76.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.8

$0.96 RON 4.16

222.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.66

$0.73 RON 3.17

236.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$7.25 RON 31.45

-55.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.83

$1.61 RON 7.00

-21.74%

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

$30.2K MX$522.8K

$28.1K RON 121.9K

7.36%

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

$23.4K MX$406.3K

$28.2K RON 122.4K

-16.86%

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

$84.0 MX$1,456

$172 RON 745

-51.10%

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

$22.21 MX$385

$8.68 RON 37.67

155.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.65 MX$514

$9.64 RON 41.84

207.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 MX$912

$46.95 RON 204

12.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.34 MX$318

$18.68 RON 81.1

-1.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.95 MX$85.7

$5.93 RON 25.72

-16.53%

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

$198 MX$3,438

$1,387 RON 6,019

-85.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,322 MX$92.2K

$6,872 RON 29.8K

-22.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MX$623

$71.1 RON 308

-49.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.06 MX$694

$31.67 RON 137

26.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,365

$74.4 RON 323

5.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,499

$81.9 RON 355

5.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 MX$16.9K

$445 RON 1,930

119.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 MX$8,158

$312 RON 1,354

50.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,595 MX$27.6K

$567 RON 2,459

181.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 MX$21.1K

$412 RON 1,788

194.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 MX$69.9K

$2,379 RON 10.3K

69.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,579 MX$114.0K

$1,556 RON 6,754

322.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

$1,123 RON 4,872

-36.38%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Targu Mures: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Playa del Carmen versus $445 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 57% 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $41 in Targu Mures. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $218 – 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 17%, 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 $1,891 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,616 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 $1,261 in Playa del Carmen and $1,077 in Targu Mures. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 77% 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 $1,077, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,261. 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.