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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,362 per month in Bucharest vs $905 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,133 per month in Bucharest vs $1,462 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,903 per month in Bucharest vs $2,019 in Bacau, rent included.

Bucharest costs about 51% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bucharest sits 2% above the global median, while Bacau is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 RON 64.6

$11.74 RON 53.8

20.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 RON 316

$45.80 RON 210

50.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 37.04

$8.16 RON 37.40

-0.98%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.55

$2.30 RON 10.55

47.39%

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

$2.24 RON 10.28

$2.20 RON 10.11

1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.09

$1.86 RON 8.51

30.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.52

$2.32 RON 10.64

45.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 RON 17.57

$3.54 RON 16.26

8.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.88

$1.34 RON 6.16

28.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$0.84 RON 3.86

60.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.41

$1.71 RON 7.86

7.02%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.72

$3.67 RON 16.82

-0.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 RON 42.31

$8.33 RON 38.22

10.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.43

$6.22 RON 28.51

10.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 RON 55.2

$9.10 RON 41.74

32.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.15

$1.26 RON 5.80

6.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.62 RON 7.43

6.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$1.73 RON 7.94

5.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.97

$1.83 RON 8.38

30.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$0.93 RON 4.27

11.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.67

$0.83 RON 3.83

22.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.49

$0.71 RON 3.24

38.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.74 RON 3.38

28.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 RON 29.33

$5.85 RON 26.84

9.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 RON 29.81

$6.58 RON 30.16

-1.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.68

$0.87 RON 3.98

42.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.86

$1.34 RON 6.14

44.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 RON 5.21

$0.63 RON 2.89

80.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.82 RON 90.9

$32.12 RON 147

-38.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.27

$0.62 RON 2.85

14.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.99

$0.64 RON 2.95

1.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$7.44 RON 34.12

-6.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.59

$1.60 RON 7.34

3.75%

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

$29.0K RON 132.8K

$28.3K RON 129.6K

2.41%

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

$30.1K RON 137.9K

$26.7K RON 122.3K

12.80%

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

$183 RON 841

$116 RON 532

58.21%

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

$8.95 RON 41.05

$8.53 RON 39.13

4.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 51.0

$5.26 RON 24.14

111.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 RON 249

$24.94 RON 114

118.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 RON 135

$23.39 RON 107

26.08%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 RON 41.88

$6.81 RON 31.22

34.07%

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

$676 RON 3,102

$654 RON 3,001

3.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 65.7K

$5,516 RON 25.3K

159.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 RON 372

$90.4 RON 415

-10.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 RON 204

$35.38 RON 162

25.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 RON 412

$63.7 RON 292

41.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 496

$99.0 RON 454

9.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 3,036

$325 RON 1,492

103.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 2,021

$183 RON 839

140.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 6,202

$501 RON 2,299

169.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 RON 3,892

$366 RON 1,677

132.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,777 RON 17.3K

$1,828 RON 8,382

106.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 RON 10.2K

$1,217 RON 5,581

83.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,457

$1,022 RON 4,687

37.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.5

9.23%

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

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bacau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $662 in Bucharest versus $325 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 38% 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 $69.0 in Bucharest versus $46.00 in Bacau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $195 – making Bacau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 51%, 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 $2,044 per month in Bucharest and $1,357 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 $69.0 in Bucharest and $46.00 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 $1,362 in Bucharest and $905 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 $905, than in Bucharest at $1,362. 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.