Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Targu Mures and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Targu Mures: $942 a month against $2,704 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $21,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Targu Mures
🇷🇴 Romania
$942
/mo nomad
Austin, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,704
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Targu Mures and in Austin, TX

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Targu Mures and in Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $942 in Targu Mures versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

  • Targu Mures $942
  • Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,446 in Targu Mures versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

  • Targu Mures $1,446
  • Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,950 in Targu Mures versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

  • Targu Mures $1,950
  • Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Targu Mures costs roughly 65% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Targu Mures is 30% below, Austin, TX is 102% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Targu Mures
Austin, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.02 RON 42.67
$20.22 $20.22
-55.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$42.09 RON 199
$85.0 $85.0
-50.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.17 RON 38.64
$12.35 $12.35
-33.85%
Cappuccino
$2.21 RON 10.43
$5.47 $5.47
-59.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 RON 6.90
$3.82 $3.82
-61.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.22 RON 5.78
$2.50 $2.50
-51.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.94 RON 9.15
$8.06 $8.06
-75.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35 RON 11.12
$8.99 $8.99
-73.86%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Targu Mures
Austin, TX
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.36 RON 6.41
$1.13 $1.13
20.35%
White Bread (500g)
$1.12 RON 5.29
$3.78 $3.78
-70.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 RON 6.59
$3.25 $3.25
-57.23%
Eggs
$2.92 RON 13.81
$4.14 $4.14
-29.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.83 RON 37.04
$13.08 $13.08
-40.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.78 RON 27.32
$14.31 $14.31
-59.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.20 RON 48.24
$15.96 $15.96
-36.09%
Apples (1kg)
$0.93 RON 4.39
$4.38 $4.38
-78.77%
Banana (1kg)
$1.27 RON 6.01
$1.45 $1.45
-12.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.45 RON 6.87
$4.54 $4.54
-68.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.90 RON 8.99
$4.19 $4.19
-54.65%
Potato (1kg)
$0.72 RON 3.39
$2.63 $2.63
-72.62%
Onion (1kg)
$0.52 RON 2.46
$2.36 $2.36
-77.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.88 RON 4.15
$1.76 $1.76
-50.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 RON 3.59
$2.16 $2.16
-64.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.81 RON 27.49
$9.81 $9.81
-40.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.32 RON 34.64
$14.72 $14.72
-50.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 RON 5.07
$2.78 $2.78
-61.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 RON 7.33
$3.48 $3.48
-55.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Targu Mures
Austin, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.65 RON 3.07
$1.49 $1.49
-56.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$25.67 RON 121
$40.51 $40.51
-36.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.85 RON 4.03
$2.67 $2.67
-68.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.81 RON 3.82
$1.58 $1.58
-48.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.60 RON 35.94
$35.29 $35.29
-78.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.87 RON 8.85
$0.99 $0.99
88.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K RON 137.7K
$35.8K $35.8K
-18.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.2K RON 119.2K
$27.2K $27.2K
-7.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Targu Mures
Austin, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$102 RON 482
$219 $219
-53.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.28 RON 43.89
$58.0 $58.0
-84.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.35 RON 39.49
$68.4 $68.4
-87.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Targu Mures
Austin, TX
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.67 RON 197
$57.9 $57.9
-28.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.94 RON 84.9
$14.82 $14.82
21.05%
Cinema Ticket
$6.21 RON 29.38
$14.13 $14.13
-56.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Targu Mures
Austin, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,335 RON 6,312
$1,509 $1,509
-11.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$21.5K $21.5K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Targu Mures
Austin, TX
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4 RON 253
$51.7 $51.7
3.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.39 RON 144
$44.05 $44.05
-31.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$75.7 RON 358
$85.1 $85.1
-11.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.4 RON 371
$105 $105
-25.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Targu Mures
Austin, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$421 RON 1,990
$1,932 $1,932
-78.22%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$290 RON 1,371
$1,272 $1,272
-77.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$646 RON 3,055
$3,670 $3,670
-82.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$485 RON 2,294
$2,525 $2,525
-80.79%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,236 RON 10.6K
$7,617 $7,617
-70.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,482 RON 7,008
$3,199 $3,199
-53.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Targu Mures
Austin, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$998 RON 4,722
$5,105 $5,105
-80.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.47
6.79
10.01%

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

Last update for Targu Mures: October 4, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Targu Mures
$290
Austin, TX
$1.3K 339% $983
Groceries & Markets
Targu Mures
$191
Austin, TX
$403 110% $211
Eating Out
Targu Mures
$148
Austin, TX
$348 135% $200
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Targu Mures
$119
Austin, TX
$346 189% $226
Clothing & Footwear
Targu Mures
$107
Austin, TX
$129 20.3% $22
Sport & Entertainment
Targu Mures
$54
Austin, TX
$86 59.3% $32
Getting Around
Targu Mures
$33
Austin, TX
$57 71.9% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $421 in Targu Mures and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 411% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Targu Mures vs $85.0 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $403 per month, with Targu Mures cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇷🇴 Targu Mures
🇺🇸 Austin, TX
🕒 Local time
11:39 11:39 AM
03:39 3:39 AM
8 h behind Targu Mures
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
134,290
974,447
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.3 RON (1 RON = 0.189 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Targu Mures Austin, TX 9,700 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Targu Mures
  • Austin, TX

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Targu Mures or Austin, TX?
Targu Mures wins on cost – living expenses run 187% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Targu Mures the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Targu Mures or in Austin, TX?
On paper, salaries run 411% lower in Austin, TX. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Targu Mures compared to Austin, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $421 in Targu Mures versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Targu Mures compared to Austin, TX?
All in, you'll spend $942 per month in Targu Mures versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 187% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Targu Mures compared to Austin, TX?
A monthly transit pass in Targu Mures runs roughly 58% less than in Austin, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Targu Mures or in Austin, TX?
At $942 in Targu Mures versus $2,704 in Austin, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Mures but tight or insufficient in Austin, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Mures the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Targu Mures or Austin, TX?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
How safe is Targu Mures compared to Austin, TX?
Safety-wise, Targu Mures and Austin, TX are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Targu Mures gentler on the wallet – expenses run 187% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Targu Mures vs other spots: cost of living compared

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