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: $1,265 in Brasov versus $1,336 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,970 in Brasov versus $2,162 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,675 in Brasov versus $2,988 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 6% below, Bucharest is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.18 RON 55.1

$13.58 RON 61.4

-10.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.75 RON 225

$68.1 RON 308

-26.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.19 RON 37.02

$8.05 RON 36.38

1.74%

Cappuccino

$3.47 RON 15.69

$3.40 RON 15.36

2.06%

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

$1.95 RON 8.81

$2.32 RON 10.50

-15.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 RON 9.48

$2.38 RON 10.74

-11.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 RON 14.67

$3.54 RON 15.99

-8.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 RON 15.80

$4.01 RON 18.14

-12.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 RON 6.72

$1.74 RON 7.88

-14.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 RON 6.02

$1.42 RON 6.42

-6.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 RON 7.89

$1.93 RON 8.73

-9.33%

Eggs

$3.39 RON 15.32

$3.54 RON 15.99

-4.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.49 RON 38.38

$9.27 RON 41.90

-8.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.96 RON 31.46

$7.13 RON 32.21

-2.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.91 RON 53.8

$12.28 RON 55.5

-3.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.39

$1.35 RON 6.11

-11.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.39

$1.74 RON 7.86

-5.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.24

$1.76 RON 7.98

-9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.53 RON 11.43

$2.40 RON 10.83

5.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.30

$1.05 RON 4.72

-9.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 RON 4.82

$0.96 RON 4.35

11.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 3.99

$0.92 RON 4.15

-4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$0.91 RON 4.09

-6.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.82 RON 26.30

$6.38 RON 28.82

-8.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.03 RON 40.82

$6.45 RON 29.16

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.14

$1.22 RON 5.51

-6.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 RON 7.50

$1.98 RON 8.95

-16.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 RON 4.11

$1.16 RON 5.27

-21.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.00 RON 85.9

$19.48 RON 88.0

-2.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 RON 3.47

$0.72 RON 3.25

6.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.73

$0.62 RON 2.79

-3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 RON 31.10

$6.94 RON 31.35

-0.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.20

$1.71 RON 7.75

-7.02%

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

$27.7K RON 125.4K

$29.0K RON 131.0K

-4.27%

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

$27.4K RON 123.9K

$30.3K RON 137.0K

-9.53%

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

$167 RON 754

$178 RON 803

-6.09%

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

$7.88 RON 35.63

$9.16 RON 41.40

-13.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.28 RON 41.94

$11.12 RON 50.3

-16.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 RON 270

$54.7 RON 247

9.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 RON 71.7

$29.04 RON 131

-45.39%

Cinema Ticket

$10.84 RON 48.99

$9.27 RON 41.92

16.94%

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

$441 RON 1,995

$677 RON 3,060

-34.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,608 RON 29.9K

$14.9K RON 67.2K

-55.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.8 RON 297

$79.8 RON 361

-17.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.49 RON 192

$45.29 RON 205

-6.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 RON 433

$89.2 RON 403

7.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 RON 440

$109 RON 493

-10.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 RON 2,808

$662 RON 2,992

-6.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 RON 1,892

$432 RON 1,953

-3.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 RON 4,751

$1,355 RON 6,126

-22.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 RON 3,171

$841 RON 3,802

-16.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 RON 14.4K

$3,857 RON 17.4K

-17.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,490 RON 11.3K

$2,305 RON 10.4K

8.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 RON 4,892

$1,463 RON 6,615

-26.04%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Brasov and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 35% 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: $50.0 in Brasov vs $68.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $233 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 6% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $1,336 including rent). Brasov is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bucharest earns 35% less. 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: $621 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 $50.0 versus $68.0 in Bucharest. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Brasov versus $1,336 in Bucharest – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Brasov versus $1,336 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 6% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.