Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Bacau Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Bacau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,430 per month in Bucharest vs $988 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,131 per month in Bucharest vs $1,668 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Bucharest vs $2,348 in Bacau, rent included.

Bucharest costs about 45% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bucharest sits 4% above the global median, while Bacau is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.63 RON 70.6

$12.21 RON 55.1

28.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 RON 281

$88.8 RON 401

-29.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 RON 35.44

$8.61 RON 38.89

-8.83%

Cappuccino

$3.63 RON 16.37

$2.04 RON 9.22

77.94%

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

$2.48 RON 11.18

$2.05 RON 9.24

20.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 RON 10.64

$1.92 RON 8.67

22.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 RON 17.70

$2.69 RON 12.15

45.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 RON 20.31

$3.35 RON 15.13

34.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 8.12

$1.66 RON 7.48

8.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.36

$1.24 RON 5.60

13.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.03

$1.62 RON 7.32

9.88%

Eggs

$3.88 RON 17.50

$3.28 RON 14.79

18.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 RON 43.40

$8.30 RON 37.49

15.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.16 RON 32.32

$5.70 RON 25.73

25.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 RON 55.3

$9.72 RON 43.87

26.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 RON 5.93

$1.20 RON 5.42

9.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.66

$1.51 RON 6.83

12.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.35

$1.51 RON 6.82

7.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 RON 12.54

$2.11 RON 9.53

31.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.70 RON 3.18

22.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 RON 3.36

$0.69 RON 3.11

7.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 RON 4.25

$0.72 RON 3.23

30.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 RON 4.40

$0.79 RON 3.59

22.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.87 RON 31.01

$5.51 RON 24.86

24.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.66 RON 30.05

$6.44 RON 29.07

3.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 RON 5.67

$1.03 RON 4.66

22.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.81

$1.48 RON 6.67

16.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RON 4.86

$0.78 RON 3.54

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.84 RON 98.6

$31.36 RON 142

-30.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 2.88

$0.64 RON 2.89

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 RON 3.08

$0.67 RON 3.04

1.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.46 RON 29.18

$6.48 RON 29.24

-0.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 RON 8.96

$1.90 RON 8.58

4.21%

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

$29.4K RON 132.6K

$29.8K RON 134.5K

-1.45%

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

$27.8K RON 125.7K

$26.0K RON 117.5K

6.98%

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

$204 RON 920

$111 RON 503

82.87%

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

$8.53 RON 38.52

$11.43 RON 51.6

-25.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 RON 44.56

$5.10 RON 23.03

93.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$27.34 RON 123

100.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.58 RON 115

$16.90 RON 76.3

51.36%

Cinema Ticket

$8.86 RON 40.00

$8.87 RON 40.03

-0.11%

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

$663 RON 2,994

$422 RON 1,906

57.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K RON 69.0K

$6,096 RON 27.5K

150.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.2 RON 430

$75.4 RON 341

26.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.99 RON 185

$45.12 RON 204

-9.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 RON 373

$96.6 RON 436

-14.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 454

$99.8 RON 451

0.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 RON 3,204

$418 RON 1,887

69.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$490 RON 2,214

$253 RON 1,141

94.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 RON 5,101

$575 RON 2,594

96.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 RON 3,426

$418 RON 1,885

81.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,914 RON 17.7K

$1,907 RON 8,610

105.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,317 RON 10.5K

$1,253 RON 5,658

84.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,486 RON 6,708

$1,010 RON 4,560

47.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

6.97

-2.01%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 1, 2026

Last update for Bacau: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $710 in Bucharest versus $418 in Bacau. 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 47% higher in Bucharest, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Bucharest versus $89.0 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $236 in Bucharest vs $200 in Bacau – so Bacau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Bucharest vs Bacau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bucharest is pricier by about 45%, 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 $2,144 per month in Bucharest and $1,482 in Bacau. 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 $62.0 in Bucharest and $89.0 in Bacau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,430 in Bucharest and $988 in Bacau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $988, than in Bucharest at $1,430. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bucharest it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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, Bucharest makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.