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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,061 in Targu Mures versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,549 in Targu Mures versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,037 in Targu Mures versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Targu Mures costs roughly 16% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Targu Mures 21% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.79 RON 39.91

$4.56 ฿150

92.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.85 RON 185

$46.63 ฿1,535

-12.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 RON 39.86

$8.47 ฿279

3.66%

Cappuccino

$2.28 RON 10.35

$3.03 ฿99.7

-24.75%

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

$1.26 RON 5.72

$0.69 ฿22.69

82.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 RON 5.24

$0.37 ฿12.04

210.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 RON 9.81

$2.49 ฿81.9

-13.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 RON 12.34

$3.66 ฿120

-25.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.27

$2.18 ฿71.8

-26.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.51

$1.90 ฿62.6

-36.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.20

$2.20 ฿72.4

-27.73%

Eggs

$2.98 RON 13.53

$2.22 ฿73.2

34.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 RON 40.26

$19.99 ฿658

-55.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.91 RON 31.36

$3.66 ฿121

88.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.30 RON 55.9

$13.25 ฿436

-7.17%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.41

$3.23 ฿106

-69.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 RON 6.01

$1.70 ฿55.9

-22.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.74

$2.39 ฿78.8

-37.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.68

$2.08 ฿68.4

-8.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.97

$1.59 ฿52.4

-45.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 RON 4.02

$1.48 ฿48.83

-39.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 RON 3.58

$1.03 ฿33.90

-23.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 RON 3.66

$0.52 ฿17.01

55.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 RON 27.52

$4.25 ฿140

42.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.80 RON 35.41

$18.79 ฿618

-58.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.74

$1.76 ฿57.8

-40.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.62

$2.76 ฿90.8

-39.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 RON 2.70

$1.36 ฿44.79

-56.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.77 RON 67.1

$11.36 ฿374

30.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 RON 4.01

$3.14 ฿103

-71.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$1.04 ฿34.10

-31.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.50 RON 34.06

$13.77 ฿453

-45.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.91

$1.34 ฿44.26

13.43%

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

$27.5K RON 124.8K

$27.7K ฿911.1K

-0.69%

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

$27.9K RON 126.8K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-17.52%

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

$169 RON 766

$124 ฿4,069

36.48%

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

$8.60 RON 39.05

$13.52 ฿445

-36.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.90 RON 44.96

$18.69 ฿615

-47.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.97 RON 213

$61.8 ฿2,035

-24.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.22 RON 82.7

$17.25 ฿568

5.62%

Cinema Ticket

$5.67 RON 25.73

$9.14 ฿301

-37.96%

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

$1,378 RON 6,254

$703 ฿23.1K

96.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,946 RON 31.5K

$15.9K ฿522.5K

-56.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 RON 328

$59.5 ฿1,958

21.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.87 RON 149

$35.07 ฿1,154

-6.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 RON 328

$115 ฿3,795

-37.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 RON 371

$84.1 ฿2,767

-2.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 RON 1,996

$619 ฿20.4K

-28.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 RON 1,415

$433 ฿14.2K

-27.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 RON 2,576

$2,062 ฿67.9K

-72.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$399 RON 1,810

$1,511 ฿49.7K

-73.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,355 RON 10.7K

$3,646 ฿120.0K

-35.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,505 RON 6,830

$2,626 ฿86.4K

-42.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,066 RON 4,840

$507 ฿16.7K

110.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.17

5.33

53.28%

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

Last update for Targu Mures: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $440 in Targu Mures and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Targu Mures pays 110% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Targu Mures vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $293 per month, with Targu Mures cheaper across the board.

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 Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Targu Mures is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Targu Mures pays 110% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $440 in Targu Mures versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,378 in Targu Mures versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,061 in Targu Mures versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Mures but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Mures the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Targu Mures is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Targu Mures and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Targu Mures gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.