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: $1,430 in Bucharest versus $901 in Calarasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,131 in Bucharest versus $1,391 in Calarasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Bucharest versus $1,881 in Calarasi.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 59% more expensive than in Calarasi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 4% above, Calarasi is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.63 RON 70.6

$7.66 RON 34.63

104.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 RON 281

$27.04 RON 122

130.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 RON 35.47

$8.11 RON 36.62

-3.21%

Cappuccino

$3.63 RON 16.39

$2.14 RON 9.69

69.63%

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

$2.48 RON 11.19

$1.45 RON 6.54

71.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 RON 10.65

$1.82 RON 8.23

29.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 RON 17.71

$1.07 RON 4.84

266.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 RON 20.33

$1.51 RON 6.82

198.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 8.12

$1.59 RON 7.20

13.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.37

$0.94 RON 4.26

50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.04

$1.62 RON 7.30

9.88%

Eggs

$3.88 RON 17.52

$2.99 RON 13.53

29.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 RON 43.43

$8.38 RON 37.85

14.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.16 RON 32.34

$4.31 RON 19.47

66.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 RON 55.3

$8.58 RON 38.76

42.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 RON 5.93

$1.14 RON 5.16

14.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.66

$1.48 RON 6.69

14.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.36

$1.32 RON 5.95

23.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 RON 12.55

$1.58 RON 7.13

75.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.42 RON 1.89

104.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 RON 3.36

$0.64 RON 2.91

15.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 RON 4.25

$0.45 RON 2.04

108.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 RON 4.40

$0.82 RON 3.69

18.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.87 RON 31.04

$6.73 RON 30.39

2.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.66 RON 30.07

$4.32 RON 19.50

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 RON 5.67

$1.03 RON 4.67

22.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.82

$1.51 RON 6.82

14.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RON 4.86

$0.45 RON 2.04

140.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.84 RON 98.7

$13.12 RON 59.3

66.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 2.88

$0.67 RON 3.04

-4.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 RON 3.08

$0.64 RON 2.89

6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.46 RON 29.21

$6.78 RON 30.63

-4.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 RON 8.97

$1.76 RON 7.93

12.50%

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

$29.4K RON 132.7K

$29.7K RON 134.2K

-1.16%

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

$27.8K RON 125.8K

$26.6K RON 120.4K

4.47%

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

$204 RON 921

$165 RON 746

23.49%

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

$8.53 RON 38.54

$6.77 RON 30.56

26.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 RON 44.59

$6.93 RON 31.29

42.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$49.67 RON 224

10.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.58 RON 116

$55.7 RON 251

-54.03%

Cinema Ticket

$8.86 RON 40.03

$8.95 RON 40.43

-1.01%

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

$663 RON 2,996

$423 RON 1,909

56.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K RON 69.1K

$6,032 RON 27.3K

153.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.2 RON 430

$76.0 RON 344

25.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.99 RON 185

$22.21 RON 100

84.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 RON 374

$96.2 RON 434

-14.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 454

$99.4 RON 449

1.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 RON 3,206

$330 RON 1,493

114.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$490 RON 2,215

$201 RON 909

143.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 RON 5,104

$448 RON 2,025

152.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 RON 3,429

$336 RON 1,519

125.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,914 RON 17.7K

$1,240 RON 5,601

215.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,317 RON 10.5K

$969 RON 4,378

139.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,486 RON 6,713

$773 RON 3,493

92.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

7.85

-12.99%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 1, 2026

Last update for Calarasi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $710 in Bucharest and $330 in Calarasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 92% 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: $62.0 in Bucharest vs $27.00 in Calarasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $175 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 59% in total monthly costs ($1,430 vs $901 including rent). Calarasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 92% 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: $710 in Bucharest versus $330 in Calarasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,430 per month in Bucharest versus $901 in Calarasi – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Calarasi runs roughly 66% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $901 in Calarasi versus $1,430 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 59% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.