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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $882 per month in Bacau vs $1,109 in Craiova, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,466 per month in Bacau vs $1,650 in Craiova, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,051 per month in Bacau vs $2,191 in Craiova, rent included.

Bacau is about 21% 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

$11.69 RON 53.4

$9.38 RON 42.84

24.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 RON 213

$45.95 RON 210

1.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.10 RON 37.00

$7.96 RON 36.34

1.76%

Cappuccino

$2.24 RON 10.22

$2.49 RON 11.36

-10.04%

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

$2.10 RON 9.57

$2.10 RON 9.59

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.65

$1.92 RON 8.79

-1.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 RON 10.31

$2.25 RON 10.26

0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 RON 16.72

$3.35 RON 15.29

9.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 RON 6.06

$1.56 RON 7.12

-14.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 RON 4.12

$1.00 RON 4.56

-10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.75

$1.71 RON 7.80

-0.58%

Eggs

$3.72 RON 16.98

$3.23 RON 14.73

15.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 RON 39.08

$7.72 RON 35.27

10.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 RON 28.48

$6.48 RON 29.60

-3.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.07 RON 41.43

$9.81 RON 44.79

-7.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 RON 5.78

$1.23 RON 5.63

3.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.30

$1.70 RON 7.76

-5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.50

$1.60 RON 7.30

2.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.52

$1.84 RON 8.40

1.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.40

$1.07 RON 4.90

-10.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 RON 3.73

$1.14 RON 5.19

-28.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.26

$0.80 RON 3.65

-11.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.52

$0.80 RON 3.66

-3.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 RON 26.82

$5.88 RON 26.86

-0.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 RON 30.18

$6.34 RON 28.93

4.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.21

$1.30 RON 5.93

-29.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.91

$2.25 RON 10.29

-42.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 RON 2.90

$0.72 RON 3.29

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.33 RON 148

$23.02 RON 105

40.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 RON 2.79

$0.56 RON 2.56

8.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.83

$0.89 RON 4.06

-30.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 RON 35.35

$6.75 RON 30.83

14.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.32

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

$28.6K RON 130.4K

$27.5K RON 125.5K

3.94%

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

$26.1K RON 119.1K

$27.6K RON 126.1K

-5.53%

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

$117 RON 532

$212 RON 969

-45.07%

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

$8.43 RON 38.50

$8.08 RON 36.89

4.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.06 RON 23.10

$11.58 RON 52.9

-56.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.75 RON 118

$37.03 RON 169

-30.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.93 RON 105

$18.97 RON 86.6

20.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 RON 29.98

$6.54 RON 29.89

0.31%

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

$657 RON 2,998

$434 RON 1,980

51.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,489 RON 25.1K

$8,856 RON 40.4K

-38.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.3 RON 426

$78.5 RON 358

18.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.15 RON 161

$37.91 RON 173

-7.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 RON 291

$77.6 RON 354

-17.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 RON 437

$86.8 RON 396

10.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 RON 1,444

$386 RON 1,764

-18.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 RON 826

$317 RON 1,446

-42.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 RON 2,338

$706 RON 3,223

-27.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 RON 1,685

$436 RON 1,989

-15.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,889 RON 8,626

$2,735 RON 12.5K

-30.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,250 RON 5,709

$1,998 RON 9,122

-37.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,021 RON 4,663

$945 RON 4,316

8.03%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Craiova: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $316 in Bacau versus $386 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 8% higher in Bacau, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Bacau versus $46.00 in Craiova. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Bacau vs $204 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 26%, 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 $1,323 per month in Bacau and $1,664 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 $882 in Bacau and $1,109 in Craiova. 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 $882, than in Craiova at $1,109. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Craiova 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, Craiova makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.