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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $988 per month in Bacau vs $1,430 in Bucharest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,668 per month in Bacau vs $2,131 in Bucharest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,348 per month in Bacau vs $2,833 in Bucharest, rent included.

Bacau is about 31% cheaper than Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bacau sits 28% below the global median, while Bucharest is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.21 RON 55.1

$15.63 RON 70.6

-21.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.8 RON 401

$62.3 RON 281

42.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 RON 38.89

$7.85 RON 35.44

9.68%

Cappuccino

$2.04 RON 9.22

$3.63 RON 16.37

-43.80%

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

$2.05 RON 9.24

$2.48 RON 11.18

-17.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.67

$2.36 RON 10.64

-18.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 RON 12.15

$3.92 RON 17.70

-31.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 RON 15.13

$4.50 RON 20.31

-25.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.48

$1.80 RON 8.12

-7.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 RON 5.60

$1.41 RON 6.36

-12.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.32

$1.78 RON 8.03

-8.99%

Eggs

$3.28 RON 14.79

$3.88 RON 17.50

-15.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.30 RON 37.49

$9.61 RON 43.40

-13.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 RON 25.73

$7.16 RON 32.32

-20.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.72 RON 43.87

$12.25 RON 55.3

-20.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 RON 5.42

$1.31 RON 5.93

-8.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.83

$1.70 RON 7.66

-11.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.82

$1.63 RON 7.35

-7.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 RON 9.53

$2.78 RON 12.54

-24.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$0.86 RON 3.89

-18.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 RON 3.11

$0.74 RON 3.36

-6.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.23

$0.94 RON 4.25

-23.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$0.97 RON 4.40

-18.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.51 RON 24.86

$6.87 RON 31.01

-19.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 RON 29.07

$6.66 RON 30.05

-3.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.66

$1.26 RON 5.67

-18.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 RON 6.67

$1.73 RON 7.81

-14.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$1.08 RON 4.86

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.36 RON 142

$21.84 RON 98.6

43.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 2.89

$0.64 RON 2.88

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.68 RON 3.08

-1.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 RON 29.24

$6.46 RON 29.18

0.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 RON 8.58

$1.98 RON 8.96

-4.04%

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

$29.8K RON 134.5K

$29.4K RON 132.6K

1.47%

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

$26.0K RON 117.5K

$27.8K RON 125.7K

-6.52%

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

$111 RON 503

$204 RON 920

-45.32%

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

$11.43 RON 51.6

$8.53 RON 38.52

34.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.10 RON 23.03

$9.87 RON 44.56

-48.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.34 RON 123

$54.7 RON 247

-50.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.90 RON 76.3

$25.58 RON 115

-33.93%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 RON 40.03

$8.86 RON 40.00

0.11%

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

$422 RON 1,906

$663 RON 2,994

-36.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,096 RON 27.5K

$15.3K RON 69.0K

-60.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 RON 341

$95.2 RON 430

-20.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.12 RON 204

$40.99 RON 185

10.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 RON 436

$82.7 RON 373

16.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 RON 451

$101 RON 454

-0.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 RON 1,887

$710 RON 3,204

-41.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 RON 1,141

$490 RON 2,214

-48.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 RON 2,594

$1,130 RON 5,101

-49.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 RON 1,885

$759 RON 3,426

-44.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,907 RON 8,610

$3,914 RON 17.7K

-51.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,253 RON 5,658

$2,317 RON 10.5K

-45.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,010 RON 4,560

$1,486 RON 6,708

-32.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.97

6.83

2.05%

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

Last update for Bacau: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $418 in Bacau versus $710 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 47% 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 $89.0 in Bacau versus $62.0 in Bucharest. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Bacau vs $236 in Bucharest – so Bacau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 45%, 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 $1,482 per month in Bacau and $2,144 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 $89.0 in Bacau and $62.0 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 $988 in Bacau and $1,430 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 $988, than in Bucharest at $1,430. 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.