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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $899 per month in Bacau vs $1,115 in Craiova, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,454 per month in Bacau vs $1,639 in Craiova, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,010 per month in Bacau vs $2,163 in Craiova, rent included.

Bacau is about 19% cheaper than Craiova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bacau and Craiova are more affordable than the global median – Bacau 33% lower, Craiova 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.29 RON 51.1

$8.96 RON 40.53

26.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.51 RON 206

$46.48 RON 210

-2.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 RON 37.43

$7.99 RON 36.16

3.63%

Cappuccino

$2.19 RON 9.93

$2.59 RON 11.73

-15.44%

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

$2.18 RON 9.85

$2.09 RON 9.44

4.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 RON 8.53

$1.87 RON 8.44

0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 RON 10.11

$2.35 RON 10.61

-5.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 RON 15.97

$3.52 RON 15.94

0.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 RON 6.09

$1.51 RON 6.84

-10.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$1.00 RON 4.51

-15.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.69

$1.71 RON 7.72

-0.58%

Eggs

$3.75 RON 16.98

$3.27 RON 14.78

14.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.61 RON 38.96

$7.76 RON 35.10

10.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 RON 27.86

$6.54 RON 29.60

-5.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.34 RON 42.25

$9.45 RON 42.75

-1.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 RON 5.67

$1.28 RON 5.80

-2.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.11

$1.69 RON 7.64

-7.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.80

$1.57 RON 7.11

9.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.27

$1.87 RON 8.47

-2.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.07

$1.03 RON 4.68

-12.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.96

$1.12 RON 5.07

-22.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 RON 3.02

$0.80 RON 3.61

-16.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 RON 3.38

$0.80 RON 3.64

-6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 RON 25.98

$6.03 RON 27.26

-4.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 RON 30.41

$6.00 RON 27.16

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.18

$1.31 RON 5.95

-29.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 RON 6.03

$2.26 RON 10.24

-41.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 RON 2.90

$0.67 RON 3.02

-4.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.92 RON 144

$23.28 RON 105

37.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.84

$0.57 RON 2.58

10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.80

$0.83 RON 3.77

-25.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.38 RON 33.38

$7.10 RON 32.12

3.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.26

$1.61 RON 7.27

-0.62%

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

$27.9K RON 126.0K

$27.5K RON 124.6K

1.13%

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

$26.2K RON 118.5K

$27.8K RON 125.9K

-5.90%

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

$117 RON 528

$212 RON 957

-44.85%

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

$8.35 RON 37.78

$8.06 RON 36.48

3.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.17 RON 23.37

$11.54 RON 52.2

-55.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.99 RON 113

$36.06 RON 163

-30.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.58 RON 102

$18.75 RON 84.8

20.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.59 RON 29.83

$6.69 RON 30.28

-1.49%

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

$644 RON 2,913

$436 RON 1,971

47.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,313 RON 24.0K

$8,920 RON 40.4K

-40.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.5 RON 418

$80.5 RON 364

14.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.73 RON 162

$36.68 RON 166

-2.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.1 RON 286

$78.5 RON 355

-19.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.7 RON 447

$87.8 RON 397

12.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 RON 1,432

$387 RON 1,751

-18.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 RON 846

$307 RON 1,389

-39.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$503 RON 2,276

$727 RON 3,287

-30.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 RON 1,675

$448 RON 2,028

-17.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,846 RON 8,352

$2,639 RON 11.9K

-30.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,248 RON 5,647

$2,047 RON 9,260

-39.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 RON 4,693

$998 RON 4,516

3.91%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Craiova: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $316 in Bacau versus $387 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 4% 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 $46.00 in Bacau versus $46.00 in Craiova. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $203 – 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 Craiova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Craiova is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,348 per month in Bacau and $1,673 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 $46.00 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 $899 in Bacau and $1,115 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 $899 in Bacau and $1,115 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.