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: $836 in Alexandria versus $1,362 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,380 in Alexandria versus $2,133 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,924 in Alexandria versus $2,903 in Bucharest.

Living in Alexandria costs roughly 39% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Alexandria is 37% below, Bucharest is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.29 RON 42.42

$14.09 RON 64.3

-34.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.04 RON 155

$68.8 RON 314

-50.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.11 RON 32.45

$8.08 RON 36.87

-12.00%

Cappuccino

$1.88 RON 8.60

$3.39 RON 15.48

-44.54%

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

$1.99 RON 9.07

$2.24 RON 10.24

-11.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RON 7.50

$2.42 RON 11.04

-32.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 RON 10.76

$3.38 RON 15.44

-30.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 RON 12.46

$3.83 RON 17.49

-28.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 RON 6.47

$1.72 RON 7.84

-17.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.74

$1.35 RON 6.16

-6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.15

$1.83 RON 8.37

-26.23%

Eggs

$1.36 RON 6.23

$3.65 RON 16.65

-62.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.22 RON 23.81

$9.23 RON 42.12

-43.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 RON 21.22

$6.85 RON 31.29

-32.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 RON 40.95

$12.03 RON 54.9

-25.44%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.29

$1.34 RON 6.12

-29.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.92

$1.72 RON 7.86

-11.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.40

$1.82 RON 8.30

-35.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.15

$2.39 RON 10.92

-52.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.44 RON 2.03

$1.04 RON 4.76

-57.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 RON 3.05

$1.02 RON 4.65

-34.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 RON 2.01

$0.98 RON 4.47

-55.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 RON 3.30

$0.95 RON 4.32

-24.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.50 RON 25.10

$6.40 RON 29.19

-14.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.41 RON 24.71

$6.50 RON 29.67

-16.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$1.24 RON 5.66

-45.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.32

$1.93 RON 8.82

-50.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.26

$1.14 RON 5.19

-37.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.48 RON 107

$19.82 RON 90.5

18.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 RON 2.18

$0.71 RON 3.26

-32.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 RON 2.00

$0.65 RON 2.98

-32.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 RON 22.77

$6.93 RON 31.64

-27.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.28

$1.66 RON 7.56

-4.22%

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

$18.1K RON 82.5K

$29.0K RON 132.2K

-37.60%

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

$24.0K RON 109.8K

$30.1K RON 137.3K

-20.03%

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

$118 RON 537

$183 RON 837

-35.81%

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

$7.11 RON 32.44

$8.95 RON 40.86

-20.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.89 RON 31.44

$11.12 RON 50.8

-38.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.29 RON 175

$54.4 RON 248

-29.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.04 RON 41.25

$29.49 RON 135

-69.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.74 RON 21.64

$9.13 RON 41.68

-48.08%

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

$431 RON 1,969

$676 RON 3,088

-36.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,025 RON 32.1K

$14.3K RON 65.4K

-50.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.6 RON 318

$81.1 RON 370

-14.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.98 RON 160

$44.42 RON 203

-21.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.4 RON 312

$89.8 RON 410

-23.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 RON 317

$108 RON 494

-35.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 RON 1,562

$662 RON 3,022

-48.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 RON 1,053

$441 RON 2,011

-47.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 RON 3,642

$1,352 RON 6,173

-41.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 RON 2,605

$849 RON 3,874

-32.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,329 RON 6,065

$3,777 RON 17.2K

-64.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$811 RON 3,704

$2,231 RON 10.2K

-63.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$861 RON 3,933

$1,408 RON 6,427

-38.82%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $342 in Alexandria and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 63% 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 $69.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $157 vs $230 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 63% 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, salaries run 63% lower in Bucharest. 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: $342 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 $836 per month in Alexandria versus $1,362 in Bucharest – a 63% 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 $836 in Alexandria versus $1,362 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 $836 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 63% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.