Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacau and Craiova Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacau and Craiova

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $886 per month in Bacau vs $1,106 in Craiova, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,475 per month in Bacau vs $1,643 in Craiova, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,063 per month in Bacau vs $2,180 in Craiova, rent included.

Bacau is about 20% cheaper than Craiova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bacau and Craiova are more affordable than the global median – Bacau 34% lower, Craiova 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 RON 50.7

$9.06 RON 39.52

28.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.60 RON 203

$45.77 RON 200

1.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 RON 35.44

$8.27 RON 36.06

-1.69%

Cappuccino

$2.27 RON 9.91

$2.49 RON 10.84

-8.84%

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

$2.14 RON 9.31

$2.19 RON 9.53

-2.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 RON 7.94

$1.96 RON 8.56

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 RON 9.93

$2.37 RON 10.32

-3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 RON 15.41

$3.44 RON 14.98

2.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RON 6.03

$1.57 RON 6.83

-12.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 RON 3.71

$0.99 RON 4.31

-14.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.45

$1.69 RON 7.38

1.18%

Eggs

$3.66 RON 15.96

$3.35 RON 14.60

9.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 RON 37.49

$7.70 RON 33.59

11.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 RON 28.02

$6.71 RON 29.25

-4.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 RON 39.91

$9.78 RON 42.65

-6.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 RON 5.31

$1.27 RON 5.53

-3.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.07

$1.66 RON 7.25

-2.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 RON 7.31

$1.57 RON 6.85

7.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.01

$1.82 RON 7.94

1.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.18

$1.03 RON 4.50

-6.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 RON 3.89

$1.10 RON 4.78

-19.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.15

$0.85 RON 3.70

-15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.46

$0.76 RON 3.31

3.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 RON 25.56

$5.95 RON 25.95

-1.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.03 RON 30.64

$6.35 RON 27.67

10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.09

$1.25 RON 5.47

-24.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 RON 5.59

$2.19 RON 9.55

-41.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 RON 2.81

$0.71 RON 3.09

-8.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.34 RON 141

$23.01 RON 100

40.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.73

$0.61 RON 2.65

3.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.84

$0.81 RON 3.54

-19.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 RON 32.45

$6.87 RON 29.96

8.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.66

$1.57 RON 6.83

-2.55%

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

$28.4K RON 123.9K

$27.9K RON 121.4K

2.03%

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

$26.2K RON 114.4K

$27.4K RON 119.4K

-4.20%

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

$114 RON 499

$207 RON 902

-44.72%

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

$8.38 RON 36.55

$7.90 RON 34.45

6.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.07 RON 22.12

$11.74 RON 51.2

-56.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.14 RON 110

$36.46 RON 159

-31.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.01 RON 100

$18.49 RON 80.6

24.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 RON 28.30

$6.75 RON 29.43

-3.85%

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

$643 RON 2,805

$445 RON 1,941

44.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,453 RON 23.8K

$8,844 RON 38.6K

-38.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.0 RON 405

$78.9 RON 344

17.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.45 RON 150

$37.74 RON 165

-8.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 RON 272

$78.6 RON 343

-20.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 RON 418

$85.5 RON 373

12.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$326 RON 1,423

$382 RON 1,668

-14.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 RON 794

$315 RON 1,374

-42.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$502 RON 2,190

$720 RON 3,141

-30.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 RON 1,575

$444 RON 1,935

-18.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,930 RON 8,416

$2,730 RON 11.9K

-29.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,279 RON 5,578

$2,095 RON 9,133

-38.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,060 RON 4,620

$1,077 RON 4,697

-1.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

6.28

3.50%

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

Last update for Bacau: April 25, 2026

Last update for Craiova: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $326 in Bacau versus $382 in Craiova. 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 2% higher in Craiova, 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 $47.00 in Bacau versus $46.00 in Craiova. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Bacau vs $205 in Craiova – 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 Craiova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Craiova is pricier by about 25%, 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 $1,329 per month in Bacau and $1,659 in Craiova. 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 $47.00 in Bacau and $46.00 in Craiova. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $886 in Bacau and $1,106 in Craiova. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $886 in Bacau and $1,106 in Craiova, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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, Craiova makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.