Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasov and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Brasov and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,254 in Brasov versus $1,362 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,956 in Brasov versus $2,133 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,657 in Brasov versus $2,903 in Bucharest.

Living in Brasov costs roughly 8% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brasov is 6% below, Bucharest is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.42 RON 57.0

$14.09 RON 64.6

-11.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 RON 233

$68.8 RON 316

-26.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 RON 37.03

$8.08 RON 37.04

-0.12%

Cappuccino

$3.58 RON 16.40

$3.39 RON 15.55

5.60%

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

$1.90 RON 8.73

$2.24 RON 10.28

-15.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.24

$2.42 RON 11.09

-16.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 RON 14.91

$3.38 RON 15.52

-3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.67

$3.83 RON 17.57

-10.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.07

$1.72 RON 7.88

-10.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 RON 5.92

$1.35 RON 6.19

-4.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.32

$1.83 RON 8.41

-1.09%

Eggs

$3.36 RON 15.41

$3.65 RON 16.72

-7.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 RON 40.47

$9.23 RON 42.31

-4.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.03 RON 32.24

$6.85 RON 31.43

2.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 RON 53.9

$12.03 RON 55.2

-2.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 RON 5.25

$1.34 RON 6.15

-14.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.60

$1.72 RON 7.90

-3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.11

$1.82 RON 8.34

-14.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 RON 11.40

$2.39 RON 10.97

4.18%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.33

$1.04 RON 4.78

-9.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 RON 4.88

$1.02 RON 4.67

3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 4.02

$0.98 RON 4.49

-10.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.64

$0.95 RON 4.34

-16.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 RON 26.82

$6.40 RON 29.33

-8.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 RON 35.94

$6.50 RON 29.81

20.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 RON 5.08

$1.24 RON 5.68

-10.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.85

$1.93 RON 8.86

-11.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$1.14 RON 5.21

-20.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 RON 85.7

$19.82 RON 90.9

-5.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 RON 3.53

$0.71 RON 3.27

8.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.76

$0.65 RON 2.99

-7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 RON 31.11

$6.93 RON 31.79

-2.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.36

$1.66 RON 7.59

-3.01%

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

$28.1K RON 128.9K

$29.0K RON 132.8K

-2.94%

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

$27.5K RON 126.2K

$30.1K RON 137.9K

-8.49%

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

$165 RON 757

$183 RON 841

-9.96%

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

$8.19 RON 37.54

$8.95 RON 41.05

-8.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.83 RON 40.49

$11.12 RON 51.0

-20.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 RON 275

$54.4 RON 249

10.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.81 RON 72.5

$29.49 RON 135

-46.39%

Cinema Ticket

$10.79 RON 49.49

$9.13 RON 41.88

18.18%

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

$447 RON 2,051

$676 RON 3,102

-33.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,652 RON 30.5K

$14.3K RON 65.7K

-53.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 RON 312

$81.1 RON 372

-16.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.68 RON 196

$44.42 RON 204

-3.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 RON 439

$89.8 RON 412

6.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.3 RON 451

$108 RON 496

-9.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 RON 2,870

$662 RON 3,036

-5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 RON 1,962

$441 RON 2,021

-2.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 RON 4,720

$1,352 RON 6,202

-23.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 RON 3,205

$849 RON 3,892

-17.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,177 RON 14.6K

$3,777 RON 17.3K

-15.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,402 RON 11.0K

$2,231 RON 10.2K

7.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,127 RON 5,171

$1,408 RON 6,457

-19.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

7.1

8.45%

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

Last update for Brasov: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Brasov and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 25% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $51.0 in Brasov vs $69.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $230 per month, with Brasov cheaper across the board.

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

Brasov vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brasov and Bucharest differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,254 vs $1,362 including rent). Brasov is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 25% lower in Bucharest. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Brasov versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Brasov – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $69.0 in Bucharest. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,254 per month in Brasov versus $1,362 in Bucharest – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,254 in Brasov versus $1,362 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Brasov but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Brasov the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Brasov and Bucharest are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Brasov gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.