Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Calarasi Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Calarasi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,362 in Bucharest versus $988 in Calarasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,133 in Bucharest versus $1,476 in Calarasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Bucharest versus $1,965 in Calarasi.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 38% more expensive than in Calarasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Calarasi is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 RON 64.6

$9.83 RON 45.08

43.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 RON 316

$27.88 RON 128

146.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 37.04

$7.98 RON 36.58

1.25%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.55

$2.69 RON 12.34

26.02%

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

$2.24 RON 10.28

$1.53 RON 7.01

46.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.09

$1.79 RON 8.23

35.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.52

$2.28 RON 10.45

48.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 RON 17.57

$3.38 RON 15.51

13.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.88

$1.36 RON 6.23

26.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$1.10 RON 5.03

22.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.41

$1.69 RON 7.74

8.28%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.72

$3.25 RON 14.92

12.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 RON 42.31

$8.56 RON 39.28

7.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.43

$6.94 RON 31.81

-1.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 RON 55.2

$9.17 RON 42.04

31.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.15

$1.18 RON 5.40

13.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.46 RON 6.70

17.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$1.33 RON 6.11

36.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.97

$1.98 RON 9.10

20.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$0.80 RON 3.68

30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.67

$0.95 RON 4.37

7.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.49

$0.71 RON 3.25

38.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.80 RON 3.69

18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 RON 29.33

$5.69 RON 26.08

12.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 RON 29.81

$4.32 RON 19.82

50.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.68

$0.89 RON 4.10

39.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.86

$1.37 RON 6.28

40.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 RON 5.21

$0.44 RON 2.04

159.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.82 RON 90.9

$13.57 RON 62.2

46.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.27

$0.71 RON 3.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.99

$0.64 RON 2.94

1.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$5.81 RON 26.64

19.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.59

$1.60 RON 7.32

3.75%

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

$29.0K RON 132.8K

$24.7K RON 113.3K

17.21%

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

$30.1K RON 137.9K

$26.9K RON 123.3K

11.89%

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

$183 RON 841

$148 RON 680

23.64%

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

$8.95 RON 41.05

$8.24 RON 37.77

8.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 51.0

$7.53 RON 34.54

47.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 RON 249

$69.8 RON 320

-22.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 RON 135

$18.92 RON 86.8

55.87%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 RON 41.88

$6.01 RON 27.58

51.91%

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

$676 RON 3,102

$434 RON 1,989

56.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 65.7K

$6,908 RON 31.7K

107.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 RON 372

$82.5 RON 378

-1.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 RON 204

$42.72 RON 196

3.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 RON 412

$75.5 RON 346

18.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 496

$99.8 RON 458

8.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 3,036

$383 RON 1,754

73.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 2,021

$231 RON 1,058

90.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 6,202

$579 RON 2,656

133.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 RON 3,892

$364 RON 1,671

132.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,777 RON 17.3K

$1,240 RON 5,688

204.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 RON 10.2K

$984 RON 4,514

126.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,457

$741 RON 3,396

90.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.62

7.25%

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

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $383 in Calarasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 90% 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 $28.00 in Calarasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $195 per month, with Calarasi 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 Calarasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Calarasi differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $988 including rent). Calarasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 90% 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: $662 in Bucharest versus $383 in Calarasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,362 per month in Bucharest versus $988 in Calarasi – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Calarasi runs roughly 46% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $988 in Calarasi versus $1,362 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Calarasi but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Calarasi 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 Calarasi 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 Calarasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.