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: $1,397 in Bucharest versus $1,051 in Calafat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,105 in Bucharest versus $1,530 in Calafat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,814 in Bucharest versus $2,009 in Calafat.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 33% more expensive than in Calafat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Calafat is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.50 RON 71.0

$7.85 RON 35.96

97.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 RON 274

$37.73 RON 173

58.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 RON 34.53

$7.61 RON 34.86

-0.92%

Cappuccino

$3.72 RON 17.05

$2.15 RON 9.85

73.02%

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

$2.36 RON 10.81

$1.59 RON 7.29

48.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.53

$0.93 RON 4.26

147.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 RON 18.23

$1.08 RON 4.94

268.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 RON 20.67

$2.03 RON 9.28

122.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 RON 8.32

$1.20 RON 5.51

51.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 RON 6.61

$0.80 RON 3.66

80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$1.41 RON 6.47

29.08%

Eggs

$3.94 RON 18.05

$2.43 RON 11.13

62.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.47 RON 43.37

$7.14 RON 32.70

32.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 RON 32.31

$6.81 RON 31.21

3.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 RON 55.7

$6.47 RON 29.63

87.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.10

$1.03 RON 4.71

29.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.67

$1.57 RON 7.19

6.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.49

$1.35 RON 6.18

21.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 RON 12.81

$1.58 RON 7.23

77.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.85

$0.65 RON 2.96

29.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.61

$0.79 RON 3.64

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$0.78 RON 3.60

16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.74 RON 3.41

35.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.00 RON 32.07

$5.65 RON 25.89

23.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 RON 29.50

$6.79 RON 31.12

-5.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.69

$0.93 RON 4.28

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.97

$1.56 RON 7.12

11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.93

$0.79 RON 3.60

8.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.97 RON 101

$22.67 RON 104

-3.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.91

$0.58 RON 2.64

8.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.16

$0.53 RON 2.43

30.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 RON 30.61

$6.74 RON 30.86

-0.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 RON 9.03

$1.58 RON 7.23

24.68%

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

$29.3K RON 134.4K

$27.3K RON 125.0K

7.53%

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

$28.4K RON 130.2K

$27.2K RON 124.4K

4.64%

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

$192 RON 878

$204 RON 935

-6.14%

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

$8.51 RON 38.97

$7.64 RON 35.01

11.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.09 RON 46.20

$6.66 RON 30.50

51.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 RON 243

$40.90 RON 187

29.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.78 RON 118

$21.36 RON 97.8

20.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.57 RON 39.24

$7.62 RON 34.93

12.47%

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

$664 RON 3,043

$438 RON 2,007

51.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K RON 69.2K

$8,568 RON 39.2K

76.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 RON 433

$59.0 RON 270

60.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 RON 187

$44.26 RON 203

-7.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 RON 378

$82.2 RON 377

0.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 RON 455

$88.7 RON 406

11.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 RON 3,278

$409 RON 1,874

74.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 RON 2,154

$302 RON 1,385

55.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 RON 5,265

$636 RON 2,913

80.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 RON 3,384

$474 RON 2,172

55.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,881 RON 17.8K

$1,939 RON 8,882

100.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,277 RON 10.4K

$1,406 RON 6,440

61.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,484 RON 6,798

$849 RON 3,891

74.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

12.67%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 15, 2026

Last update for Calafat: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Bucharest and $409 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: $60.0 in Bucharest vs $38.00 in Calafat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $175 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 33% in total monthly costs ($1,397 vs $1,051 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: $716 in Bucharest versus $409 in Calafat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,397 per month in Bucharest versus $1,051 in Calafat – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Calafat runs roughly 3% 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 $1,397 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 33% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.