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: $1,354 in Bucharest versus $1,052 in Calafat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,145 in Bucharest versus $1,550 in Calafat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,936 in Bucharest versus $2,048 in Calafat.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 29% more expensive than Calafat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 1% above, Calafat is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.79 RON 60.1

$9.08 RON 39.60

51.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 RON 299

$42.09 RON 184

62.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 RON 34.21

$7.87 RON 34.31

-0.25%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 14.77

$2.27 RON 9.89

49.34%

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

$2.33 RON 10.15

$0.88 RON 3.84

164.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 RON 10.00

$0.90 RON 3.94

154.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 RON 15.12

$1.13 RON 4.91

207.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 RON 17.35

$2.12 RON 9.24

87.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 RON 7.54

$1.29 RON 5.62

34.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 5.88

$0.89 RON 3.87

51.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.34

$1.46 RON 6.38

30.82%

Eggs

$3.49 RON 15.20

$2.58 RON 11.25

35.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 RON 41.74

$7.37 RON 32.12

29.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 RON 30.38

$6.49 RON 28.29

7.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.12 RON 52.8

$7.03 RON 30.65

72.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.07

$1.16 RON 5.07

19.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.45

$1.58 RON 6.89

8.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.03

$1.39 RON 6.07

32.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 RON 10.93

$1.62 RON 7.07

54.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.37

$0.68 RON 2.96

47.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.18

$0.77 RON 3.38

24.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 3.98

$0.80 RON 3.47

13.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 RON 3.90

$0.79 RON 3.43

12.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 RON 27.67

$5.71 RON 24.91

11.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.02 RON 30.62

$6.24 RON 27.22

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 RON 5.54

$0.96 RON 4.18

32.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.42

$2.06 RON 8.97

-6.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 RON 4.94

$0.68 RON 2.95

66.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 RON 83.6

$20.15 RON 87.9

-4.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 2.92

$0.57 RON 2.47

17.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.61

$0.54 RON 2.37

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 RON 29.89

$6.78 RON 29.57

1.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.52

$1.55 RON 6.75

10.97%

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

$29.1K RON 126.7K

$28.1K RON 122.5K

3.46%

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

$30.3K RON 132.1K

$27.6K RON 120.4K

9.71%

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

$181 RON 788

$211 RON 921

-14.53%

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

$8.87 RON 38.69

$8.07 RON 35.20

9.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.10 RON 48.39

$7.09 RON 30.92

56.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 RON 239

$41.04 RON 179

33.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.47 RON 129

$18.87 RON 82.3

56.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.16 RON 39.96

$6.64 RON 28.94

37.95%

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

$658 RON 2,868

$430 RON 1,873

53.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 62.4K

$9,050 RON 39.5K

58.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.9 RON 357

$79.0 RON 345

3.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.07 RON 196

$37.35 RON 163

20.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 RON 400

$78.9 RON 344

16.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 472

$85.6 RON 373

26.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 RON 2,805

$394 RON 1,716

63.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 1,931

$289 RON 1,261

53.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 RON 5,794

$589 RON 2,567

125.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 RON 3,680

$440 RON 1,920

91.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,172 RON 18.2K

$2,061 RON 8,984

102.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,298 RON 10.0K

$1,400 RON 6,105

64.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,515 RON 6,604

$873 RON 3,808

73.43%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Calafat: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $643 in Bucharest and $394 in Calafat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 73% 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 $42.00 in Calafat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $180 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 29% in total monthly costs ($1,354 vs $1,052 including rent). Calafat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 73% 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: $643 in Bucharest versus $394 in Calafat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,354 per month in Bucharest versus $1,052 in Calafat – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Calafat runs roughly 5% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,052 in Calafat versus $1,354 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 29% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.