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: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $989 in Calarasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,477 in Calarasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $1,964 in Calarasi.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 35% more expensive than Calarasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Calarasi is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$10.06 RON 45.46

34.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$27.26 RON 123

149.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$7.71 RON 34.86

4.41%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$2.65 RON 11.97

28.30%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$1.53 RON 6.92

51.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$1.79 RON 8.11

32.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$2.24 RON 10.12

58.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$3.52 RON 15.91

13.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.34 RON 6.08

29.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$1.09 RON 4.91

30.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.77 RON 7.98

9.04%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$3.40 RON 15.35

4.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$8.50 RON 38.41

9.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$7.12 RON 32.20

0.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$9.15 RON 41.35

34.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$1.18 RON 5.31

14.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.47 RON 6.66

18.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.33 RON 6.02

32.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$1.91 RON 8.62

25.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$0.75 RON 3.37

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$0.95 RON 4.31

1.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.71 RON 3.20

29.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.80 RON 3.62

13.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$5.71 RON 25.79

11.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$4.48 RON 20.27

43.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$0.98 RON 4.45

24.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.42 RON 6.42

39.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.45 RON 2.03

157.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$14.09 RON 63.7

38.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.67 RON 3.03

7.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

$0.66 RON 2.97

-6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$5.62 RON 25.39

23.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.54 RON 6.98

11.04%

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

$29.0K RON 131.0K

$25.4K RON 114.7K

14.23%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$27.4K RON 123.9K

10.57%

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

$178 RON 803

$148 RON 669

20.15%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$8.65 RON 39.09

5.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$7.62 RON 34.44

45.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$68.6 RON 310

-20.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$19.52 RON 88.2

48.77%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$5.92 RON 26.77

56.59%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$424 RON 1,915

59.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$6,966 RON 31.5K

113.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$81.3 RON 367

-1.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$42.81 RON 194

5.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$75.6 RON 342

17.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$96.8 RON 437

12.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$391 RON 1,768

69.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$228 RON 1,032

89.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$599 RON 2,709

126.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$369 RON 1,666

128.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$1,236 RON 5,587

212.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$986 RON 4,458

133.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

$773 RON 3,495

89.28%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $391 in Calarasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 89% 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 $27.00 in Calarasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $196 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 35% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $989 including rent). Calarasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 89% 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: $662 in Bucharest versus $391 in Calarasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,336 per month in Bucharest versus $989 in Calarasi – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Calarasi runs roughly 38% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $989 in Calarasi versus $1,336 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 35% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.