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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $969 per month in Bacau vs $1,219 in Craiova, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,621 per month in Bacau vs $1,775 in Craiova, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,273 per month in Bacau vs $2,331 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 29% lower, Craiova 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.97 RON 68.7

$7.47 RON 34.28

100.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.4 RON 396

$37.52 RON 172

130.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 RON 35.77

$7.73 RON 35.45

0.91%

Cappuccino

$2.14 RON 9.83

$2.87 RON 13.18

-25.44%

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

$2.10 RON 9.62

$2.31 RON 10.59

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.76

$1.90 RON 8.73

0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 RON 12.43

$2.45 RON 11.26

10.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 RON 15.55

$3.61 RON 16.58

-6.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 RON 5.71

$1.32 RON 6.06

-6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 RON 3.18

$0.92 RON 4.22

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.23

$1.50 RON 6.86

19.33%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 16.15

$3.44 RON 15.77

2.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 RON 36.04

$7.54 RON 34.60

4.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.59 RON 25.65

$6.70 RON 30.73

-16.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.81 RON 40.42

$11.65 RON 53.5

-24.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 RON 5.27

$1.04 RON 4.79

10.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.95

$1.52 RON 6.99

-0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.58

$1.52 RON 6.99

8.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.65

$1.90 RON 8.71

-0.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 RON 3.28

$0.86 RON 3.92

-16.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 RON 3.33

$0.94 RON 4.32

-22.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 RON 3.47

$0.77 RON 3.51

-1.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.55

$0.74 RON 3.38

4.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.71 RON 26.21

$6.70 RON 30.75

-14.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.44 RON 24.96

$6.74 RON 30.90

-19.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 RON 4.69

$1.18 RON 5.44

-13.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.93

$1.60 RON 7.36

-19.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RON 3.59

$0.89 RON 4.08

-12.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.97 RON 142

$26.08 RON 120

18.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 RON 2.78

$0.63 RON 2.88

-3.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.18

$0.64 RON 2.91

7.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.16 RON 32.83

$6.62 RON 30.37

8.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.20

$1.88 RON 8.61

-4.79%

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

$28.8K RON 132.3K

$29.6K RON 136.0K

-2.71%

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

$26.0K RON 119.3K

$27.3K RON 125.1K

-4.62%

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

$109 RON 502

$206 RON 947

-46.93%

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

$7.82 RON 35.89

$10.52 RON 48.28

-25.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.08 RON 23.29

$11.68 RON 53.6

-56.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.15 RON 125

$41.43 RON 190

-34.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.73 RON 76.7

$22.75 RON 104

-26.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 RON 29.82

$7.91 RON 36.28

-17.83%

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

$604 RON 2,771

$441 RON 2,025

36.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,174 RON 23.7K

$8,696 RON 39.9K

-40.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.9 RON 399

$58.8 RON 270

47.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.84 RON 151

$49.69 RON 228

-33.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.5 RON 291

$82.6 RON 379

-23.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 RON 407

$108 RON 497

-18.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 RON 1,954

$536 RON 2,460

-20.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 RON 1,144

$401 RON 1,840

-37.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$560 RON 2,571

$921 RON 4,225

-39.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 RON 1,934

$618 RON 2,836

-31.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,878 RON 8,616

$2,767 RON 12.7K

-32.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,271 RON 5,830

$2,050 RON 9,407

-38.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,002 RON 4,598

$981 RON 4,500

2.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.97

6.84

1.90%

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

Last update for Bacau: September 14, 2026

Last update for Craiova: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Bacau versus $536 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 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 $86.0 in Bacau versus $38.00 in Craiova. Groceries tell a different story – $184 in Bacau vs $202 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 $1,454 per month in Bacau and $1,828 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 $86.0 in Bacau and $38.00 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 $969 in Bacau and $1,219 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 $969, than in Craiova at $1,219. 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.