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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,061 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,549 in Targu Mures, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,037 in Targu Mures, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 20% 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 5% lower, Targu Mures 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$207

$8.79 RON 39.91

35.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$749

$40.85 RON 185

5.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$186

$8.78 RON 39.86

21.30%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$60.2

$2.28 RON 10.35

51.32%

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

$1.50 MX$26.24

$1.26 RON 5.72

19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.56

$1.15 RON 5.24

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$2.16 RON 9.81

40.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$80.4

$2.72 RON 12.34

69.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$24.01

$1.60 RON 7.27

-13.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.21 RON 5.51

52.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.11

$1.59 RON 7.20

1.26%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.26

$2.98 RON 13.53

-13.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$144

$8.87 RON 40.26

-6.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$146

$6.91 RON 31.36

21.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$186

$12.30 RON 55.9

-13.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.89

$0.97 RON 4.41

171.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.96

$1.32 RON 6.01

12.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.50

$1.49 RON 6.74

28.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.41

$1.91 RON 8.68

9.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.42

$0.87 RON 3.97

113.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.47

$0.89 RON 4.02

153.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.54

$0.79 RON 3.58

34.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.98

$0.81 RON 3.66

34.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.4

$6.06 RON 27.52

-31.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$181

$7.80 RON 35.41

33.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$30.09

$1.04 RON 4.74

65.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.60

$1.68 RON 7.62

55.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.46

$0.59 RON 2.70

-8.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$470

$14.77 RON 67.1

82.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.6

$0.88 RON 4.01

255.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.82

$0.71 RON 3.24

253.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$7.50 RON 34.06

-58.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.25

$1.52 RON 6.91

-16.45%

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

$30.4K MX$530.1K

$27.5K RON 124.8K

10.51%

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

$23.6K MX$411.3K

$27.9K RON 126.8K

-15.63%

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

$83.0 MX$1,449

$169 RON 766

-50.79%

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

$22.71 MX$396

$8.60 RON 39.05

164.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$514

$9.90 RON 44.96

197.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$890

$46.97 RON 213

8.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$320

$18.22 RON 82.7

0.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.0

$5.67 RON 25.73

-13.05%

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

$197 MX$3,444

$1,378 RON 6,254

-85.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$92.1K

$6,946 RON 31.5K

-23.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$644

$72.2 RON 328

-48.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$696

$32.87 RON 149

21.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,396

$72.3 RON 328

10.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,561

$81.8 RON 371

9.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.7K

$440 RON 1,996

117.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,327

$312 RON 1,415

53.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.7K

$567 RON 2,576

190.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.4K

$399 RON 1,810

207.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$68.4K

$2,355 RON 10.7K

66.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$112.7K

$1,505 RON 6,830

329.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.6K

$1,066 RON 4,840

-37.44%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Targu Mures: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 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 60% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $41.00 in Targu Mures. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 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 20%, 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 $1,906 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 $1,271 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 82% 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 $1,271. 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.