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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,336 per month in Bucharest vs $912 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,162 per month in Bucharest vs $1,474 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,988 per month in Bucharest vs $2,037 in Bacau, rent included.

Bucharest costs about 47% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bucharest sits 0% above the global median, while Bacau is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$11.60 RON 52.5

17.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$45.83 RON 207

48.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$8.27 RON 37.38

-2.66%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$2.32 RON 10.47

46.55%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$2.18 RON 9.85

6.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$1.83 RON 8.28

30.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$2.26 RON 10.24

56.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$3.64 RON 16.45

10.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.37 RON 6.20

27.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$0.89 RON 4.03

59.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.72 RON 7.75

12.21%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$3.79 RON 17.12

-6.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$8.37 RON 37.84

10.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$6.14 RON 27.73

16.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$9.44 RON 42.69

30.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$1.25 RON 5.66

8.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.57 RON 7.10

10.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.74 RON 7.85

1.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$1.93 RON 8.70

24.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$0.90 RON 4.09

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$0.84 RON 3.81

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.67 RON 3.03

37.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.79 RON 3.55

15.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$5.69 RON 25.71

12.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$6.72 RON 30.37

-4.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$0.88 RON 3.97

38.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.34 RON 6.07

47.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.63 RON 2.85

84.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$31.81 RON 144

-38.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.61 RON 2.77

18.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

$0.60 RON 2.71

3.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$7.71 RON 34.85

-9.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.58 RON 7.14

8.23%

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

$29.0K RON 131.0K

$28.1K RON 127.1K

3.07%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$26.8K RON 121.0K

13.18%

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

$178 RON 803

$114 RON 516

55.83%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$8.19 RON 37.03

11.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$5.23 RON 23.62

112.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$25.17 RON 114

117.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$23.37 RON 106

24.26%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$6.77 RON 30.61

36.93%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$654 RON 2,958

3.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$5,513 RON 24.9K

169.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$90.4 RON 409

-11.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$35.64 RON 161

27.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$62.4 RON 282

42.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$98.2 RON 444

11.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$321 RON 1,449

106.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$187 RON 844

131.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$507 RON 2,290

167.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$368 RON 1,662

128.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$1,893 RON 8,559

103.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$1,242 RON 5,612

85.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

$1,020 RON 4,609

43.53%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bacau: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $662 in Bucharest versus $321 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 44% 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 $68.0 in Bucharest versus $46.00 in Bacau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $198 – 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 47%, 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 $2,004 per month in Bucharest and $1,368 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 $68.0 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 $1,336 in Bucharest and $912 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 $912, than in Bucharest at $1,336. 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.