Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Alexandria: $859 a month against $1,340 in Bucharest, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Alexandria
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Alexandria Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index

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Alexandria

🇷🇴 Romania

$859

/mo nomad

Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,340

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Alexandria and in Bucharest

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $859 in Alexandria versus $1,340 in Bucharest.

Alexandria $859
Bucharest $1,340

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,320 in Alexandria versus $2,037 in Bucharest.

Alexandria $1,320
Bucharest $2,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,781 in Alexandria versus $2,734 in Bucharest.

Alexandria $1,781
Bucharest $2,734

Living in Alexandria costs roughly 36% less than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Alexandria 36% lower, Bucharest 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 RON 39.26

$14.49 RON 68.6

-42.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.10 RON 142

$58.1 RON 275

-48.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.24 RON 34.24

$7.48 RON 35.40

-3.21%

Cappuccino

$1.62 RON 7.68

$3.44 RON 16.29

-52.91%

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

$1.76 RON 8.34

$2.37 RON 11.22

-25.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 RON 7.03

$2.30 RON 10.88

-35.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 RON 9.99

$3.70 RON 17.51

-42.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 RON 11.66

$4.16 RON 19.69

-40.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 RON 6.56

$1.67 RON 7.90

-16.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 RON 3.78

$1.37 RON 6.50

-41.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 RON 5.21

$1.72 RON 8.14

-36.05%

Eggs

$2.16 RON 10.23

$3.64 RON 17.22

-40.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.98 RON 23.57

$9.08 RON 42.98

-45.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 RON 20.35

$6.84 RON 32.35

-37.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 RON 36.31

$12.00 RON 56.8

-36.08%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 RON 4.16

$1.23 RON 5.80

-28.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.57

$1.63 RON 7.73

-27.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.61

$1.57 RON 7.45

-37.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.62

$2.54 RON 12.01

-61.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 RON 3.33

$0.79 RON 3.75

-11.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 RON 2.87

$0.77 RON 3.66

-20.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.40

$0.87 RON 4.13

-17.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 4.06

$0.99 RON 4.70

-13.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 RON 25.69

$6.31 RON 29.86

-13.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.15 RON 24.38

$6.20 RON 29.34

-16.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.34

$1.19 RON 5.63

-22.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 RON 5.10

$1.57 RON 7.45

-31.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 RON 2.86

$0.86 RON 4.08

-30.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.28 RON 200

$21.10 RON 99.8

100.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 RON 2.07

$0.64 RON 3.05

-31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 RON 1.91

$0.60 RON 2.86

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.49 RON 25.97

$6.43 RON 30.43

-14.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 8.14

$1.96 RON 9.25

-12.24%

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

$16.1K RON 76.2K

$29.0K RON 137.2K

-44.47%

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

$23.1K RON 109.4K

$26.6K RON 126.0K

-13.21%

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

$115 RON 545

$196 RON 927

-41.19%

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

$5.18 RON 24.53

$8.04 RON 38.04

-35.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.60 RON 35.96

$9.35 RON 44.21

-18.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.6 RON 277

$50.2 RON 238

16.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.59 RON 116

$25.33 RON 120

-2.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.36 RON 30.10

$8.15 RON 38.55

-21.96%

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

$308 RON 1,459

$628 RON 2,971

-50.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,663 RON 31.5K

$14.1K RON 66.6K

-52.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 RON 245

$89.6 RON 424

-42.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.37 RON 106

$38.32 RON 181

-41.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.2 RON 299

$79.3 RON 375

-20.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.0 RON 303

$90.4 RON 428

-29.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$319 RON 1,511

$678 RON 3,209

-52.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 RON 1,127

$448 RON 2,121

-46.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 RON 2,731

$1,083 RON 5,125

-46.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 RON 1,981

$725 RON 3,430

-42.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,235 RON 5,842

$3,751 RON 17.7K

-67.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$778 RON 3,679

$2,195 RON 10.4K

-64.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$844 RON 3,995

$1,329 RON 6,290

-36.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.73

6.75

-0.30%

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

Last update for Alexandria: October 10, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Alexandria

$238 27.7%

Bucharest

$448 33.5% 88.2% $210

Groceries & Markets

Alexandria

$148 17.2%

Bucharest

$225 16.8% 51.9% $77

Eating Out

Alexandria

$136 15.8%

Bucharest

$225 16.8% 65.5% $89

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Alexandria

$128 14.9%

Bucharest

$213 15.9% 66.7% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Alexandria

$91 10.5%

Bucharest

$134 10% 47.9% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Alexandria

$71 8.3%

Bucharest

$67 5% 6.7% $4.7

Getting Around

Alexandria

$47 5.5%

Bucharest

$28 2.1% 40.2% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $319 in Alexandria and $678 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 57% 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: $30.00 in Alexandria vs $58.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $225 per month, with Alexandria cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Alexandria

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🕒 Local time

08:43 8:43 AM

Same time as Alexandria

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

45,434

1,883,425 Capital

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Alexandria Bucharest 81 km

From you

Alexandria
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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

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 57% 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: $319 in Alexandria versus $678 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $859 per month in Alexandria versus $1,340 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 100% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $859 in Alexandria versus $1,340 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 $859 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.