Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacau and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacau and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $905 per month in Bacau vs $1,362 in Bucharest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,462 per month in Bacau vs $2,133 in Bucharest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,019 per month in Bacau vs $2,903 in Bucharest, rent included.

Bacau is about 34% cheaper than Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bacau sits 32% below the global median, while Bucharest is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.74 RON 53.6

$14.09 RON 64.3

-16.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.80 RON 209

$68.8 RON 314

-33.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 RON 37.23

$8.08 RON 36.87

0.99%

Cappuccino

$2.30 RON 10.50

$3.39 RON 15.48

-32.15%

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

$2.20 RON 10.06

$2.24 RON 10.24

-1.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.47

$2.42 RON 11.04

-23.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 RON 10.59

$3.38 RON 15.44

-31.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 RON 16.18

$3.83 RON 17.49

-7.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RON 6.13

$1.72 RON 7.84

-22.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 RON 3.84

$1.35 RON 6.16

-37.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.82

$1.83 RON 8.37

-6.56%

Eggs

$3.67 RON 16.74

$3.65 RON 16.65

0.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.33 RON 38.04

$9.23 RON 42.12

-9.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 RON 28.38

$6.85 RON 31.29

-9.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.10 RON 41.55

$12.03 RON 54.9

-24.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 RON 5.77

$1.34 RON 6.12

-5.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.40

$1.72 RON 7.86

-5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.90

$1.82 RON 8.30

-4.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.34

$2.39 RON 10.92

-23.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.25

$1.04 RON 4.76

-10.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 RON 3.81

$1.02 RON 4.65

-18.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.23

$0.98 RON 4.47

-27.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.36

$0.95 RON 4.32

-22.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 RON 26.72

$6.40 RON 29.19

-8.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 30.02

$6.50 RON 29.67

1.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RON 3.97

$1.24 RON 5.66

-29.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 RON 6.11

$1.93 RON 8.82

-30.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 RON 2.88

$1.14 RON 5.19

-44.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.12 RON 147

$19.82 RON 90.5

62.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 RON 2.84

$0.71 RON 3.26

-12.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.94

$0.65 RON 2.98

-1.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 RON 33.96

$6.93 RON 31.64

7.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.30

$1.66 RON 7.56

-3.61%

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

$28.3K RON 129.0K

$29.0K RON 132.2K

-2.36%

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

$26.7K RON 121.7K

$30.1K RON 137.3K

-11.34%

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

$116 RON 529

$183 RON 837

-36.79%

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

$8.53 RON 38.95

$8.95 RON 40.86

-4.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.26 RON 24.02

$11.12 RON 50.8

-52.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.94 RON 114

$54.4 RON 248

-54.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.39 RON 107

$29.49 RON 135

-20.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.81 RON 31.07

$9.13 RON 41.68

-25.41%

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

$654 RON 2,987

$676 RON 3,088

-3.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 RON 25.2K

$14.3K RON 65.4K

-61.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.4 RON 413

$81.1 RON 370

11.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.38 RON 162

$44.42 RON 203

-20.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 RON 291

$89.8 RON 410

-29.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 RON 452

$108 RON 494

-8.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 RON 1,485

$662 RON 3,022

-50.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 RON 835

$441 RON 2,011

-58.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 RON 2,289

$1,352 RON 6,173

-62.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 RON 1,670

$849 RON 3,874

-56.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,828 RON 8,343

$3,777 RON 17.2K

-51.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,217 RON 5,555

$2,231 RON 10.2K

-45.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,022 RON 4,665

$1,408 RON 6,427

-27.42%

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 Bacau: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $325 in Bacau versus $662 in Bucharest. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 38% higher in Bucharest, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Bacau versus $69.0 in Bucharest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $230 – making Bacau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Bacau vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bucharest is pricier by about 51%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,357 per month in Bacau and $2,044 in Bucharest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Bacau and $69.0 in Bucharest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $905 in Bacau and $1,362 in Bucharest. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $905, than in Bucharest at $1,362. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bucharest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bacau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bucharest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.