Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brissago and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Bucharest: $1,337 a month against $3,504 in Brissago, rent and utilities included – about $26,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Brissago, Switzerland
Bucharest, Romania
Brissago
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,504
/mo nomad
Bucharest
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,337
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brissago and in Bucharest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Brissago and in Bucharest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,504 per month in Brissago vs $1,337 in Bucharest, rent included.

  • Brissago $3,504
  • Bucharest $1,337

A couple spends around $5,141 per month in Brissago vs $2,029 in Bucharest, rent included.

  • Brissago $5,141
  • Bucharest $2,029

A family of three spends $6,777 per month in Brissago vs $2,721 in Bucharest, rent included.

  • Brissago $6,777
  • Bucharest $2,721

Brissago costs about 162% more than Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brissago
Bucharest
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$29.38 CHF 24.32
$14.45 RON 69.1
103.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$123 CHF 102
$58.1 RON 278
112.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.55 CHF 12.87
$7.53 RON 36.05
106.51%
Cappuccino
$6.77 CHF 5.61
$3.45 RON 16.51
96.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.33 CHF 5.24
$2.46 RON 11.78
157.32%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.21 CHF 5.97
$2.23 RON 10.66
223.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.14 CHF 7.57
$3.76 RON 17.98
143.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.99 CHF 6.61
$4.19 RON 20.06
90.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brissago
Bucharest
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.12 CHF 1.75
$1.62 RON 7.75
30.86%
White Bread (500g)
$3.00 CHF 2.48
$1.30 RON 6.20
130.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.14 CHF 2.60
$1.70 RON 8.13
84.71%
Eggs
$7.88 CHF 6.53
$3.79 RON 18.13
107.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.67 CHF 20.42
$8.86 RON 42.36
178.44%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$29.66 CHF 24.55
$6.90 RON 33.03
329.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$39.72 CHF 32.88
$12.14 RON 58.1
227.18%
Apples (1kg)
$4.03 CHF 3.34
$1.30 RON 6.24
210.00%
Banana (1kg)
$2.00 CHF 1.65
$1.60 RON 7.63
25.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.76 CHF 2.28
$1.57 RON 7.50
75.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.76 CHF 3.94
$2.68 RON 12.81
77.61%
Potato (1kg)
$1.66 CHF 1.37
$0.81 RON 3.87
104.94%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 CHF 1.72
$0.79 RON 3.77
162.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.30 CHF 1.90
$0.91 RON 4.34
152.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.35 CHF 1.12
$0.97 RON 4.63
39.18%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.12 CHF 9.20
$6.41 RON 30.67
73.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.14 CHF 10.05
$6.18 RON 29.56
96.44%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.19 CHF 1.81
$1.23 RON 5.90
78.05%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.99 CHF 2.48
$1.67 RON 8.00
79.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Brissago
Bucharest
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.69 CHF 3.88
$0.87 RON 4.15
439.08%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$92.5 CHF 76.6
$20.98 RON 100
340.90%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.06 CHF 6.67
$0.66 RON 3.14
1121.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.57 CHF 3.79
$0.60 RON 2.88
661.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$108 CHF 89.0
$6.19 RON 29.60
1637.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.29 CHF 1.89
$1.93 RON 9.25
18.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.6K CHF 32.8K
$28.7K RON 137.4K
37.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.2K CHF 32.5K
$26.3K RON 126.0K
48.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brissago
Bucharest
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$279 CHF 231
$196 RON 936
42.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.26 CHF 23.39
$8.49 RON 40.64
232.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$56.1 CHF 46.44
$9.05 RON 43.32
520.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brissago
Bucharest
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$79.8 CHF 66.0
$49.54 RON 237
61.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$42.62 CHF 35.27
$25.03 RON 120
70.28%
Cinema Ticket
$24.22 CHF 20.04
$8.24 RON 39.44
193.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brissago
Bucharest
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$3,145 CHF 2,603
$636 RON 3,040
394.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.8K CHF 25.5K
$14.6K RON 69.7K
111.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brissago
Bucharest
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$141 CHF 117
$88.5 RON 423
59.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$61.7 CHF 51.1
$38.77 RON 185
59.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$154 CHF 128
$78.8 RON 377
96.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$197 CHF 163
$90.6 RON 433
117.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brissago
Bucharest
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,807 CHF 1,496
$695 RON 3,324
160.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,563 CHF 1,293
$446 RON 2,132
250.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,635 CHF 2,181
$1,084 RON 5,187
143.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,281 CHF 1,888
$712 RON 3,406
220.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$18.9K CHF 15.6K
$3,797 RON 18.2K
396.93%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$10.9K CHF 9,050
$2,202 RON 10.5K
396.56%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brissago
Bucharest
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,354 RON 6,477
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.46
6.75
-63.56%

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

Last update for Brissago: October 18, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brissago
$1.6K
Bucharest
$446 71.5% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Brissago
$579
Bucharest
$225 61.1% $354
Eating Out
Brissago
$479
Bucharest
$226 52.9% $253
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brissago
$364
Bucharest
$213 41.4% $151
Clothing & Footwear
Brissago
$249
Bucharest
$133 46.4% $116
Getting Around
Brissago
$142
Bucharest
$28 80.2% $114
Sport & Entertainment
Brissago
$128
Bucharest
$66 48.5% $62

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,807 in Brissago versus $695 in Bucharest. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $123 in Brissago versus $58 in Bucharest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $579 vs $225 – making Bucharest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇭 Brissago
🇷🇴 Bucharest
🕒 Local time
01:03 1:03 AM
02:03 2:03 AM
1 h ahead of Brissago
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,800
1,883,425 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 0.828 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.927 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 4.78 RON (1 RON = 0.209 USD). 1 EUR = 5.36 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brissago Bucharest 1,370 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Brissago
  • Bucharest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Brissago vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Brissago and in Bucharest compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $3,504 in Brissago, $1,337 in Bucharest – roughly 162% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Brissago compared to Bucharest?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,256 per month in Brissago and $2,006 in Bucharest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Brissago and Bucharest?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bucharest, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $695 there versus $1,807 in Brissago.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 157% more in Brissago, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $123 in Brissago and $58 in Bucharest. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bucharest, where all-in costs run around $1,337, than in Brissago at $3,504. In Bucharest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brissago it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Brissago or Bucharest?
Families tend to lean toward Bucharest – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Where should expats move: Brissago or Bucharest?
For expats, Bucharest is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 162% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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