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: $1,348 in Bucharest versus $1,051 in Calafat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,128 in Bucharest versus $1,557 in Calafat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,907 in Bucharest versus $2,063 in Calafat.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 28% 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

$13.71 RON 61.8

$9.12 RON 41.06

50.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 RON 316

$41.25 RON 186

70.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 RON 36.52

$8.00 RON 36.05

1.37%

Cappuccino

$3.45 RON 15.55

$2.32 RON 10.46

48.71%

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

$2.23 RON 10.06

$0.93 RON 4.20

139.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 RON 10.76

$0.87 RON 3.94

174.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 RON 15.08

$1.13 RON 5.11

196.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 RON 17.74

$2.04 RON 9.21

93.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 RON 8.14

$1.29 RON 5.83

40.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 RON 6.19

$0.90 RON 4.05

52.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 RON 8.32

$1.51 RON 6.81

22.52%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.45

$2.54 RON 11.45

43.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 RON 42.04

$7.68 RON 34.60

21.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.23 RON 32.56

$6.78 RON 30.52

6.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.32 RON 55.5

$6.78 RON 30.56

81.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.42 RON 6.40

$1.18 RON 5.33

20.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.94

$1.62 RON 7.30

8.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 RON 7.89

$1.35 RON 6.10

29.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 RON 11.28

$1.58 RON 7.11

58.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.66

$0.66 RON 2.97

57.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.37

$0.83 RON 3.76

16.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.14

$0.79 RON 3.55

16.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 RON 4.20

$0.75 RON 3.36

24.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.31 RON 28.42

$5.93 RON 26.72

6.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.46 RON 29.08

$5.99 RON 26.98

7.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.52

$0.97 RON 4.35

25.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RON 9.13

$2.04 RON 9.20

-0.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 RON 5.32

$0.67 RON 3.04

76.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.72 RON 88.8

$19.50 RON 87.8

1.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 RON 3.16

$0.61 RON 2.73

14.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.77

$0.50 RON 2.25

22.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 RON 31.60

$6.93 RON 31.20

1.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.51

$1.60 RON 7.19

4.37%

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

$28.4K RON 128.1K

$27.7K RON 124.7K

2.74%

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

$30.6K RON 137.8K

$27.0K RON 121.7K

13.28%

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

$182 RON 818

$207 RON 932

-12.24%

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

$8.74 RON 39.37

$8.16 RON 36.73

7.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.22 RON 50.5

$6.89 RON 31.05

62.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.5 RON 246

$41.66 RON 188

30.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.98 RON 131

$19.37 RON 87.2

49.61%

Cinema Ticket

$9.40 RON 42.34

$6.50 RON 29.29

44.62%

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

$673 RON 3,029

$442 RON 1,990

52.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K RON 65.4K

$8,885 RON 40.0K

63.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 RON 363

$78.1 RON 352

3.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.59 RON 201

$37.49 RON 169

18.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.3 RON 411

$77.8 RON 350

17.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 490

$86.0 RON 387

26.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 RON 2,946

$395 RON 1,778

65.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 RON 1,966

$289 RON 1,300

51.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 RON 6,013

$591 RON 2,661

125.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 RON 3,850

$433 RON 1,952

97.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,854 RON 17.4K

$2,097 RON 9,445

83.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,311 RON 10.4K

$1,434 RON 6,458

61.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,412 RON 6,361

$830 RON 3,738

70.16%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Calafat: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $654 in Bucharest and $395 in Calafat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 70% 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: $70.0 in Bucharest vs $41.00 in Calafat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $181 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 28% in total monthly costs ($1,348 vs $1,051 including rent). Calafat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 70% 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: $654 in Bucharest versus $395 in Calafat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,348 per month in Bucharest versus $1,051 in Calafat – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Calafat runs roughly 1% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,051 in Calafat versus $1,348 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 28% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.