Cost of Living Comparison Between Targu Mures and Almaty Cost of Living Comparison Between Targu Mures and Almaty

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,077 per month in Targu Mures vs $1,051 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,554 per month in Targu Mures vs $1,658 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,031 per month in Targu Mures vs $2,264 in Almaty, rent included.

Targu Mures costs about 2% more than Almaty, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Targu Mures and Almaty are more affordable than the global median – Targu Mures 20% lower, Almaty 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.54 RON 37.04

$7.66 ₸3,548

11.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.00 RON 178

$38.33 ₸17.7K

6.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.00 RON 39.05

$6.92 ₸3,205

30.06%

Cappuccino

$2.30 RON 9.97

$2.32 ₸1,074

-0.86%

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

$1.32 RON 5.71

$0.90 ₸418

46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 RON 5.00

$0.54 ₸250

112.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 RON 9.24

$1.39 ₸644

53.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 RON 12.26

$2.97 ₸1,373

-4.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 6.75

$1.31 ₸604

18.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.25

$0.54 ₸252

124.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.12

$1.55 ₸718

5.81%

Eggs

$3.07 RON 13.31

$1.70 ₸786

80.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.82 RON 38.29

$9.42 ₸4,362

-6.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 RON 31.27

$4.47 ₸2,069

61.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 RON 55.1

$7.52 ₸3,480

68.75%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.25

$1.34 ₸619

-26.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 RON 5.70

$1.90 ₸881

-31.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 RON 6.62

$1.94 ₸898

-21.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 RON 8.45

$2.09 ₸969

-6.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.04

$0.61 ₸284

52.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.00

$0.40 ₸184

130.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 RON 3.45

$1.29 ₸595

-38.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.48

$0.70 ₸323

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 27.26

$1.98 ₸917

217.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 RON 35.20

$8.56 ₸3,963

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.66

$0.84 ₸388

27.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.14

$2.14 ₸991

-22.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 RON 2.43

$0.24 ₸112

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.85 RON 64.5

$18.06 ₸8,359

-17.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.16

$1.20 ₸553

-20.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 RON 3.17

$0.66 ₸304

10.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 RON 31.45

$4.65 ₸2,154

55.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.00

$0.48 ₸223

235.42%

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

$28.1K RON 121.9K

$23.3K ₸10.8M

20.80%

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

$28.2K RON 122.4K

$27.4K ₸12.7M

3.00%

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

$172 RON 745

$63.3 ₸29.3K

171.24%

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

$8.68 RON 37.67

$8.79 ₸4,067

-1.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.64 RON 41.84

$13.53 ₸6,264

-28.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.95 RON 204

$47.24 ₸21.9K

-0.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 RON 81.1

$21.59 ₸9,995

-13.48%

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 RON 25.72

$5.13 ₸2,375

15.59%

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

$1,387 RON 6,019

$262 ₸121.3K

429.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,872 RON 29.8K

$13.0K ₸6.0M

-47.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 RON 308

$86.8 ₸40.2K

-18.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.67 RON 137

$44.68 ₸20.7K

-29.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 RON 323

$97.0 ₸44.9K

-23.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 RON 355

$120 ₸55.4K

-31.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 RON 1,930

$667 ₸308.8K

-33.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 RON 1,354

$422 ₸195.5K

-26.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 RON 2,459

$1,163 ₸538.6K

-51.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 RON 1,788

$759 ₸351.4K

-45.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,379 RON 10.3K

$2,127 ₸984.8K

11.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 RON 6,754

$1,298 ₸600.7K

19.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,123 RON 4,872

$799 ₸369.9K

40.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.17

18.39

-55.57%

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

Last update for Targu Mures: April 21, 2026

Last update for Almaty: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $445 in Targu Mures versus $667 in Almaty. 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 40% higher in Targu Mures, 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 $41 in Targu Mures versus $38 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $183 – making Almaty 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 Mures vs Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Targu Mures is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,616 per month in Targu Mures and $1,576 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Almaty, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Targu Mures and $38.00 in Almaty. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,077 in Targu Mures and $1,051 in Almaty. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Almaty, where all-in costs run around $1,051, than in Targu Mures at $1,077. In Almaty it covers expenses comfortably, while in Targu Mures it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Almaty – 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 Almaty. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Targu Mures makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.