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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,044 per month in Targu Frumos vs $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Targu Frumos vs $2,177 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,102 per month in Targu Frumos vs $3,095 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Targu Frumos is about 17% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Targu Frumos and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Targu Frumos 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.79 RON 40.31

$11.95 MX$208

-26.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.04 RON 188

$41.94 MX$730

-2.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.01 RON 41.35

$10.42 MX$181

-13.53%

Cappuccino

$2.31 RON 10.58

$3.51 MX$61.2

-34.19%

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

$1.28 RON 5.85

$1.52 MX$26.39

-15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 RON 5.32

$0.91 MX$15.84

27.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 RON 10.30

$3.04 MX$52.9

-26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 RON 12.48

$4.37 MX$76.1

-37.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 RON 7.25

$1.42 MX$24.73

11.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.54

$1.83 MX$31.87

-33.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.24

$1.63 MX$28.45

-3.07%

Eggs

$3.04 RON 13.95

$2.54 MX$44.20

19.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 RON 40.76

$8.57 MX$149

3.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.72

$8.49 MX$148

-16.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.46 RON 57.1

$10.80 MX$188

15.37%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.49

$2.75 MX$47.94

-64.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 RON 6.25

$1.44 MX$25.00

-5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.95

$1.89 MX$32.83

-19.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 RON 9.05

$2.17 MX$37.77

-9.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 RON 4.15

$1.78 MX$30.97

-48.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.25

$2.22 MX$38.71

-58.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 RON 3.46

$1.07 MX$18.60

-29.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.59

$1.08 MX$18.79

-27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 RON 27.78

$4.15 MX$72.2

46.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.43 RON 34.07

$10.45 MX$182

-28.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.77

$1.74 MX$30.34

-40.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 RON 7.68

$2.58 MX$44.92

-35.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.23

$0.51 MX$8.94

37.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.76 RON 90.6

$25.94 MX$451

-23.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 RON 4.33

$3.21 MX$55.9

-70.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 RON 3.01

$2.50 MX$43.55

-73.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 RON 33.93

$3.19 MX$55.4

131.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.35

$1.26 MX$21.87

26.98%

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

$28.3K RON 129.8K

$29.7K MX$516.6K

-4.68%

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

$28.3K RON 129.7K

$23.7K MX$412.1K

19.35%

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

$173 RON 793

$82.0 MX$1,427

110.83%

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

$8.68 RON 39.83

$22.73 MX$395

-61.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.71 RON 44.56

$29.42 MX$512

-67.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.92 RON 188

$52.2 MX$908

-21.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.25 RON 88.3

$18.45 MX$321

4.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 RON 26.33

$4.93 MX$85.9

16.43%

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

$437 RON 2,003

$202 MX$3,511

116.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,830 RON 31.3K

$5,217 MX$90.8K

30.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.2 RON 336

$35.93 MX$625

103.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.44 RON 149

$40.33 MX$702

-19.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 RON 345

$79.9 MX$1,390

-5.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.9 RON 367

$89.3 MX$1,554

-10.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 RON 1,785

$948 MX$16.5K

-58.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 RON 1,310

$465 MX$8,097

-38.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 RON 2,652

$1,630 MX$28.4K

-64.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 2,032

$1,193 MX$20.8K

-62.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,958 RON 8,980

$3,933 MX$68.4K

-50.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,414 RON 6,485

$6,428 MX$111.9K

-78.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.17

11.42

-28.46%

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

Last update for Targu Frumos: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $389 in Targu Frumos versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Targu Frumos versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $252 – making Targu Frumos 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

Targu Frumos vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 21%, 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 $1,566 per month in Targu Frumos and $1,888 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Targu Frumos, 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 $1,044 in Targu Frumos and $1,259 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Targu Frumos, where all-in costs run around $1,044, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,259. In Targu Frumos 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 Frumos – 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 Frumos. 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.