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: $918 in Alexandria versus $1,430 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,407 in Alexandria versus $2,131 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Alexandria versus $2,833 in Bucharest.

Living in Alexandria costs roughly 36% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Alexandria is 33% below, Bucharest is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.77 RON 39.62

$15.63 RON 70.6

-43.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.51 RON 147

$62.3 RON 281

-47.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 RON 34.77

$7.85 RON 35.46

-1.91%

Cappuccino

$1.74 RON 7.85

$3.63 RON 16.38

-52.07%

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

$1.93 RON 8.71

$2.48 RON 11.18

-22.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 RON 7.06

$2.36 RON 10.65

-33.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 RON 9.81

$3.92 RON 17.71

-44.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 RON 11.83

$4.50 RON 20.32

-41.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 RON 6.78

$1.80 RON 8.12

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 RON 3.78

$1.41 RON 6.36

-40.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 RON 5.45

$1.78 RON 8.04

-32.02%

Eggs

$2.19 RON 9.90

$3.88 RON 17.51

-43.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.16 RON 23.31

$9.61 RON 43.42

-46.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.69 RON 21.20

$7.16 RON 32.33

-34.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 RON 38.32

$12.25 RON 55.3

-30.78%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 RON 4.10

$1.31 RON 5.93

-30.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.35

$1.70 RON 7.66

-30.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.42

$1.63 RON 7.35

-39.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.58

$2.78 RON 12.54

-63.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 RON 3.10

$0.86 RON 3.89

-19.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.65 RON 2.93

$0.74 RON 3.36

-12.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 RON 3.36

$0.94 RON 4.25

-21.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 RON 4.04

$0.97 RON 4.40

-8.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 RON 24.97

$6.87 RON 31.03

-19.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.38 RON 24.32

$6.66 RON 30.07

-19.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$1.26 RON 5.67

-23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 RON 4.88

$1.73 RON 7.81

-37.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 RON 2.85

$1.08 RON 4.86

-41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.26 RON 200

$21.84 RON 98.6

102.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 RON 2.04

$0.64 RON 2.88

-29.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 RON 1.91

$0.68 RON 3.08

-38.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 RON 26.06

$6.46 RON 29.20

-10.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.57

$1.98 RON 8.96

-15.15%

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

$17.2K RON 77.5K

$29.4K RON 132.6K

-41.59%

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

$23.7K RON 107.0K

$27.8K RON 125.7K

-14.92%

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

$122 RON 551

$204 RON 920

-40.14%

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

$5.59 RON 25.26

$8.53 RON 38.53

-34.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.02 RON 36.21

$9.87 RON 44.58

-18.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.7 RON 283

$54.7 RON 247

14.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 RON 121

$25.58 RON 116

4.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 RON 29.36

$8.86 RON 40.02

-26.64%

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

$326 RON 1,474

$663 RON 2,995

-50.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,983 RON 31.5K

$15.3K RON 69.0K

-54.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 RON 253

$95.2 RON 430

-41.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.04 RON 104

$40.99 RON 185

-43.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.5 RON 305

$82.7 RON 373

-18.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.9 RON 302

$101 RON 454

-33.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 RON 1,507

$710 RON 3,206

-52.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 RON 1,146

$490 RON 2,215

-48.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 RON 2,782

$1,130 RON 5,103

-45.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,021

$759 RON 3,428

-41.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,314 RON 5,934

$3,914 RON 17.7K

-66.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$838 RON 3,784

$2,317 RON 10.5K

-63.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$906 RON 4,093

$1,486 RON 6,711

-39.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.73

6.83

-1.46%

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

Last update for Alexandria: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $334 in Alexandria and $710 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 64% 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: $33.00 in Alexandria vs $62.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $157 vs $236 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 56% 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 64% 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: $334 in Alexandria versus $710 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Alexandria versus $1,430 in Bucharest – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 103% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $918 in Alexandria versus $1,430 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 $918 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 56% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.