Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Calafat Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Calafat

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,316 in Bucharest versus $1,039 in Calafat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,132 in Bucharest versus $1,539 in Calafat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,949 in Bucharest versus $2,038 in Calafat.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 27% more expensive than in Calafat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bucharest 1% lower, Calafat 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.55 RON 61.6

$9.15 RON 41.62

48.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 RON 312

$42.16 RON 192

62.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 RON 35.59

$7.86 RON 35.73

-0.38%

Cappuccino

$3.44 RON 15.65

$2.35 RON 10.70

46.38%

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

$2.29 RON 10.43

$0.88 RON 4.00

160.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.02

$0.89 RON 4.05

171.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 RON 15.47

$1.12 RON 5.09

203.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 RON 17.68

$2.08 RON 9.46

87.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 RON 8.21

$1.30 RON 5.89

39.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.45

$0.84 RON 3.81

69.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.45

$1.49 RON 6.76

24.83%

Eggs

$3.70 RON 16.80

$2.50 RON 11.35

48.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 RON 42.74

$7.60 RON 34.57

23.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.20 RON 32.72

$6.75 RON 30.68

6.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 RON 54.5

$7.03 RON 31.94

70.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.33

$1.13 RON 5.16

23.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.80

$1.59 RON 7.22

8.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.92

$1.42 RON 6.44

22.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 RON 11.24

$1.58 RON 7.17

56.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.55

$0.66 RON 3.00

51.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.68

$0.83 RON 3.77

24.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.54

$0.84 RON 3.83

19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 RON 4.24

$0.73 RON 3.34

27.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 RON 28.97

$5.92 RON 26.94

7.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.70 RON 30.45

$6.55 RON 29.77

2.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 RON 5.79

$0.96 RON 4.36

32.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.12

$2.13 RON 9.69

-5.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 RON 5.38

$0.67 RON 3.04

76.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 RON 87.2

$19.92 RON 90.6

-3.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 2.99

$0.60 RON 2.71

10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.81

$0.50 RON 2.26

24.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 RON 31.59

$7.00 RON 31.81

-0.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.80

$1.57 RON 7.12

9.55%

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

$28.2K RON 128.3K

$28.4K RON 129.0K

-0.56%

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

$30.1K RON 136.7K

$27.6K RON 125.7K

8.75%

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

$182 RON 828

$206 RON 938

-11.70%

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

$8.96 RON 40.71

$8.14 RON 37.00

10.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.24 RON 51.1

$6.99 RON 31.77

60.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 RON 244

$41.99 RON 191

27.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 132

$19.47 RON 88.5

49.15%

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 RON 40.91

$6.42 RON 29.21

40.19%

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

$661 RON 3,005

$432 RON 1,962

53.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K RON 66.4K

$8,832 RON 40.2K

65.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 RON 369

$78.0 RON 354

4.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.34 RON 202

$37.32 RON 170

18.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 RON 410

$79.5 RON 362

13.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 RON 500

$85.7 RON 390

28.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 RON 3,005

$393 RON 1,786

68.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 2,014

$296 RON 1,346

49.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 RON 6,038

$595 RON 2,705

123.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 RON 3,772

$434 RON 1,974

91.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,866 RON 17.6K

$1,762 RON 8,009

119.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,178 RON 9,902

$1,245 RON 5,662

74.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,432 RON 6,512

$819 RON 3,724

74.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

18.33%

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

Last update for Bucharest: July 27, 2026

Last update for Calafat: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Bucharest and $393 in Calafat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 75% 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: $69.0 in Bucharest vs $42.00 in Calafat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $182 per month, with Calafat 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 Calafat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Calafat differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,316 vs $1,039 including rent). Calafat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 75% higher in Bucharest, 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: $661 in Bucharest versus $393 in Calafat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,316 per month in Bucharest versus $1,039 in Calafat – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Calafat runs roughly 4% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,039 in Calafat versus $1,316 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Calafat but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Calafat the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bucharest and Calafat are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Calafat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.