Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Braila Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Braila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,110 in Braila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,670 in Braila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $2,230 in Braila.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 20% more expensive than Braila, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Braila is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$13.84 RON 62.6

-1.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$46.27 RON 209

47.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$7.86 RON 35.53

2.42%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$2.75 RON 12.45

23.64%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$1.92 RON 8.67

20.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$1.79 RON 8.07

32.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$2.34 RON 10.58

51.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$3.15 RON 14.24

27.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.59 RON 7.21

9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$1.25 RON 5.66

13.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.84 RON 8.31

4.89%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$3.49 RON 15.78

1.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$8.52 RON 38.53

8.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$6.37 RON 28.80

11.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$10.39 RON 46.96

18.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$1.24 RON 5.61

8.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.73 RON 7.84

0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.71 RON 7.75

2.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$1.84 RON 8.32

30.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$0.80 RON 3.62

31.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$1.11 RON 5.02

-13.51%

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

$0.81 RON 3.67

12.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$5.83 RON 26.34

9.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$6.29 RON 28.45

2.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.07 RON 4.85

14.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.65 RON 7.44

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.65 RON 2.94

78.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$16.35 RON 73.9

19.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.96 RON 4.34

-25.00%

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

$7.70 RON 34.83

-9.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.59 RON 7.18

7.55%

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

$29.0K RON 131.0K

$28.0K RON 126.6K

3.48%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$27.1K RON 122.7K

11.66%

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

$178 RON 803

$155 RON 701

14.68%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$7.98 RON 36.07

14.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$9.38 RON 42.42

18.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$34.66 RON 157

57.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$13.66 RON 61.7

112.59%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$6.89 RON 31.16

34.54%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$295 RON 1,334

129.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$7,027 RON 31.8K

111.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$66.9 RON 303

19.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$55.6 RON 251

-18.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$71.3 RON 322

25.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$111 RON 500

-1.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$377 RON 1,704

75.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$308 RON 1,391

40.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$569 RON 2,571

138.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$457 RON 2,067

83.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$2,012 RON 9,094

91.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$1,381 RON 6,242

66.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

$879 RON 3,973

66.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.78

4.72%

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

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Last update for Braila: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $377 in Braila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 67% 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: $68.0 in Bucharest vs $46.00 in Braila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $209 per month, with Braila 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

Bucharest vs Braila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Braila wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Bucharest. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Braila the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bucharest pays 67% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $662 in Bucharest versus $377 in Braila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Braila runs roughly 19% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $677 in Bucharest versus $295 in Braila. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,110 in Braila versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Braila but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Braila the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Braila delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,110 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Braila hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Braila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.