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: $1,356 in Brasov versus $1,430 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,217 in Brasov versus $2,131 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,078 in Brasov versus $2,833 in Bucharest.

Living in Brasov costs roughly 5% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brasov is 1% below, Bucharest is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.13 RON 55.0

$15.63 RON 70.9

-22.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.7 RON 252

$62.3 RON 282

-10.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 RON 35.58

$7.85 RON 35.60

Cappuccino

$3.85 RON 17.44

$3.63 RON 16.45

6.06%

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

$2.58 RON 11.71

$2.48 RON 11.23

4.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 RON 10.65

$2.36 RON 10.69

-0.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 RON 14.63

$3.92 RON 17.78

-17.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 RON 16.06

$4.50 RON 20.40

-21.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.13

$1.80 RON 8.16

-12.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 RON 6.74

$1.41 RON 6.39

5.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.10

$1.78 RON 8.07

Eggs

$3.55 RON 16.10

$3.88 RON 17.58

-8.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 RON 41.63

$9.61 RON 43.60

-4.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.35

$7.16 RON 32.47

-0.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 RON 60.9

$12.25 RON 55.5

9.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.21

$1.31 RON 5.95

21.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.41

$1.70 RON 7.69

-4.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.52

$1.63 RON 7.38

1.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 RON 12.98

$2.78 RON 12.59

2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$0.86 RON 3.91

-1.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$0.74 RON 3.37

18.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$0.94 RON 4.27

-6.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$0.97 RON 4.42

-19.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 RON 29.59

$6.87 RON 31.16

-4.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 RON 35.63

$6.66 RON 30.19

18.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 RON 5.92

$1.26 RON 5.70

3.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 RON 8.54

$1.73 RON 7.85

8.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RON 4.89

$1.08 RON 4.88

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.95 RON 109

$21.84 RON 99.1

9.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 2.98

$0.64 RON 2.89

3.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$0.68 RON 3.09

2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 RON 30.87

$6.46 RON 29.32

5.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 RON 8.69

$1.98 RON 9.00

-3.03%

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

$29.5K RON 134.0K

$29.4K RON 133.2K

0.60%

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

$27.3K RON 124.0K

$27.8K RON 126.2K

-1.81%

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

$187 RON 848

$204 RON 924

-8.21%

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

$8.12 RON 36.84

$8.53 RON 38.69

-4.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.71 RON 44.04

$9.87 RON 44.76

-1.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 RON 274

$54.7 RON 248

10.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.51 RON 65.8

$25.58 RON 116

-43.28%

Cinema Ticket

$9.78 RON 44.38

$8.86 RON 40.19

10.38%

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

$466 RON 2,115

$663 RON 3,007

-29.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,246 RON 32.9K

$15.3K RON 69.3K

-52.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 RON 250

$95.2 RON 432

-42.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.49 RON 170

$40.99 RON 186

-8.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 RON 360

$82.7 RON 375

-4.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 RON 433

$101 RON 456

-5.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 RON 3,293

$710 RON 3,219

2.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 RON 2,191

$490 RON 2,224

-1.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 RON 6,157

$1,130 RON 5,124

20.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 RON 4,929

$759 RON 3,442

43.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,208 RON 14.5K

$3,914 RON 17.7K

-18.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,472 RON 11.2K

$2,317 RON 10.5K

6.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,156 RON 5,242

$1,486 RON 6,739

-22.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.83

5.42%

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

Last update for Brasov: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $726 in Brasov and $710 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 29% 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: $56.0 in Brasov vs $62.0 in Bucharest. Groceries flip the comparison at $237 vs $236, with Bucharest cheaper for home cooking.

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 5% in total monthly costs ($1,356 vs $1,430 including rent). Brasov is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 29% 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: $726 in Brasov versus $710 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 $56.0 versus $62.0 in Bucharest. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,356 per month in Brasov versus $1,430 in Bucharest – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,356 in Brasov versus $1,430 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 5% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.