Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $860 in Alexandria versus $1,336 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,419 in Alexandria versus $2,162 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,978 in Alexandria versus $2,988 in Bucharest.

Living in Alexandria costs roughly 36% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Alexandria is 36% below, Bucharest is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.00 RON 40.68

$13.58 RON 61.4

-33.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.89 RON 153

$68.1 RON 308

-50.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 RON 30.94

$8.05 RON 36.38

-15.03%

Cappuccino

$1.87 RON 8.44

$3.40 RON 15.36

-45.00%

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

$1.94 RON 8.78

$2.32 RON 10.50

-16.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RON 7.41

$2.38 RON 10.74

-31.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 RON 10.15

$3.54 RON 15.99

-36.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 RON 12.83

$4.01 RON 18.14

-29.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RON 6.06

$1.74 RON 7.88

-22.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 RON 5.73

$1.42 RON 6.42

-10.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 RON 6.37

$1.93 RON 8.73

-26.94%

Eggs

$1.40 RON 6.31

$3.54 RON 15.99

-60.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.34 RON 24.15

$9.27 RON 41.90

-42.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.48 RON 20.26

$7.13 RON 32.21

-37.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.59 RON 38.82

$12.28 RON 55.5

-30.05%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$1.35 RON 6.11

-34.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.80

$1.74 RON 7.86

-13.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.31

$1.76 RON 7.98

-32.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 RON 5.07

$2.40 RON 10.83

-53.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 RON 2.18

$1.05 RON 4.72

-54.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 RON 3.21

$0.96 RON 4.35

-26.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 RON 2.01

$0.92 RON 4.15

-52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 RON 3.26

$0.91 RON 4.09

-20.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.65 RON 25.53

$6.38 RON 28.82

-11.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.62 RON 25.41

$6.45 RON 29.16

-12.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 RON 3.24

$1.22 RON 5.51

-40.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.10

$1.98 RON 8.95

-54.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.27

$1.16 RON 5.27

-37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 RON 104

$19.48 RON 88.0

18.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 RON 2.13

$0.72 RON 3.25

-34.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 RON 1.97

$0.62 RON 2.79

-29.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 RON 23.50

$6.94 RON 31.35

-25.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 RON 7.16

$1.71 RON 7.75

-7.60%

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

$18.1K RON 81.7K

$29.0K RON 131.0K

-37.63%

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

$23.9K RON 107.9K

$30.3K RON 137.0K

-21.23%

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

$115 RON 521

$178 RON 803

-35.20%

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

$6.98 RON 31.55

$9.16 RON 41.40

-23.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.86 RON 31.01

$11.12 RON 50.3

-38.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.58 RON 174

$54.7 RON 247

-29.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.09 RON 41.07

$29.04 RON 131

-68.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.66 RON 21.05

$9.27 RON 41.92

-49.73%

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

$436 RON 1,971

$677 RON 3,060

-35.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,987 RON 31.6K

$14.9K RON 67.2K

-52.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 RON 306

$79.8 RON 361

-15.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 RON 158

$45.29 RON 205

-22.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 RON 313

$89.2 RON 403

-22.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.5 RON 310

$109 RON 493

-37.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$349 RON 1,576

$662 RON 2,992

-47.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 RON 1,047

$432 RON 1,953

-46.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 RON 3,624

$1,355 RON 6,126

-40.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 RON 2,580

$841 RON 3,802

-32.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,357 RON 6,135

$3,857 RON 17.4K

-64.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$843 RON 3,811

$2,305 RON 10.4K

-63.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,332 RON 6,021

$1,463 RON 6,615

-8.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

7.1

-8.45%

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

Last update for Alexandria: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $349 in Alexandria and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 10% 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: $34.00 in Alexandria vs $68.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $155 vs $233 per month, with Alexandria 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

Alexandria vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alexandria wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Bucharest. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alexandria the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Bucharest earns 10% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $349 in Alexandria versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $860 per month in Alexandria versus $1,336 in Bucharest – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 18% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $860 in Alexandria versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Alexandria delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $860 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alexandria hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.