Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Ceske Budejovice

For one person, living is cheaper in Bucharest: $1,351 a month against $1,704 in Ceske Budejovice, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index
83

Cost of Living Index in Ceske Budejovice
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Ceske Budejovice Living Index

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Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,351

/mo nomad

Ceske Budejovice

🇨🇿 Czech Republic

$1,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bucharest and in Ceske Budejovice

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bucharest and in Ceske Budejovice actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,351 in Bucharest versus $1,704 in Ceske Budejovice.

Bucharest $1,351
Ceske Budejovice $1,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,033 in Bucharest versus $2,526 in Ceske Budejovice.

Bucharest $2,033
Ceske Budejovice $2,526

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,715 in Bucharest versus $3,349 in Ceske Budejovice.

Bucharest $2,715
Ceske Budejovice $3,349

Living in Bucharest costs roughly 21% less than in Ceske Budejovice, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bucharest 1% above, Ceske Budejovice 27% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.46 RON 68.4

$9.33 Kč 203

54.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.7 RON 273

$40.90 Kč 889

40.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 RON 35.46

$15.54 Kč 338

-51.74%

Cappuccino

$3.43 RON 16.20

$3.26 Kč 70.9

5.21%

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

$2.46 RON 11.63

$2.14 Kč 46.45

14.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 RON 11.01

$3.82 Kč 83.1

-39.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.80 RON 17.97

$2.72 Kč 59.1

39.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 RON 19.41

$2.69 Kč 58.5

52.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 RON 7.79

$1.35 Kč 29.42

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.39

$1.96 Kč 42.68

-31.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.42

$2.73 Kč 59.4

-34.80%

Eggs

$3.66 RON 17.33

$3.39 Kč 73.8

7.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 RON 40.54

$14.33 Kč 311

-40.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 RON 32.17

$10.46 Kč 227

-34.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.72 RON 55.4

$11.40 Kč 248

2.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 RON 6.11

$1.47 Kč 32.03

-12.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.37

$1.66 Kč 36.08

-6.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 RON 7.28

$2.17 Kč 47.15

-29.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 RON 11.75

$3.28 Kč 71.4

-24.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 RON 3.92

$1.62 Kč 35.28

-48.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.77

$1.21 Kč 26.27

-33.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 RON 3.98

$1.60 Kč 34.74

-47.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 RON 4.39

$0.75 Kč 16.32

24.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 RON 30.45

$7.62 Kč 166

-15.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.32 RON 29.91

$7.15 Kč 155

-11.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 RON 5.94

$1.19 Kč 25.85

5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 RON 7.59

$2.48 Kč 53.9

-35.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 RON 3.85

$1.40 Kč 30.33

-42.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.13 RON 99.9

$18.90 Kč 411

11.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.60 RON 2.86

$4.32 Kč 94.0

-86.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 RON 2.91

$0.73 Kč 15.89

-16.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 RON 29.19

$18.58 Kč 404

-66.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 RON 9.27

$1.88 Kč 40.95

4.26%

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

$28.1K RON 133.1K

$31.2K Kč 678.3K

-9.81%

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

$26.3K RON 124.3K

$29.1K Kč 633.4K

-9.80%

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

$197 RON 931

$347 Kč 7,531

-43.19%

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

$8.34 RON 39.44

$31.46 Kč 684

-73.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.19 RON 43.47

$19.01 Kč 413

-51.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.87 RON 236

$54.6 Kč 1,187

-8.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.99 RON 118

$16.12 Kč 350

55.02%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 RON 40.01

$8.91 Kč 194

-5.05%

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

$639 RON 3,023

$526 Kč 11.4K

21.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K RON 68.1K

$10.5K Kč 227.4K

37.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.6 RON 429

$52.2 Kč 1,133

73.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.05 RON 180

$40.42 Kč 878

-5.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 RON 377

$98.3 Kč 2,137

-19.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.2 RON 441

$137 Kč 2,970

-31.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 RON 3,184

$736 Kč 16.0K

-8.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 RON 2,123

$578 Kč 12.6K

-22.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,098 RON 5,195

$1,649 Kč 35.8K

-33.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$729 RON 3,448

$1,185 Kč 25.8K

-38.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,740 RON 17.7K

$5,071 Kč 110.2K

-26.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,189 RON 10.4K

$3,141 Kč 68.3K

-30.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,323 RON 6,259

$1,588 Kč 34.5K

-16.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

5.8

16.21%

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

Last update for Bucharest: October 3, 2026

Last update for Ceske Budejovice: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bucharest

$449 33.5%

Ceske Budejovice

$578 33.8% 28.7% $129

Eating Out

Bucharest

$226 16.8%

Ceske Budejovice

$203 11.9% 10% $22

Groceries & Markets

Bucharest

$222 16.5%

Ceske Budejovice

$278 16.3% 25.2% $56

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bucharest

$214 16%

Ceske Budejovice

$397 23.3% 85.2% $183

Clothing & Footwear

Bucharest

$136 10.1%

Ceske Budejovice

$147 8.6% 8.6% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Bucharest

$67 5%

Ceske Budejovice

$72 4.2% 8.5% $5.6

Getting Around

Bucharest

$28 2.1%

Ceske Budejovice

$32 1.9% 15.7% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $673 in Bucharest and $736 in Ceske Budejovice. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ceske Budejovice pays 20% 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: $58.0 in Bucharest vs $41.00 in Ceske Budejovice. Groceries flip the comparison at $222 vs $278, with Bucharest cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🇨🇿 Ceske Budejovice

🕒 Local time

10:21 10:21 AM

09:21 9:21 AM

1 h behind Bucharest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,883,425 Capital

94,100

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

Czech Koruna CZK Kč

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.189 EUR

100 CZK = 4.6 USD

100 CZK = 4.1 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CZK, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇴 Romanian Leu (lei)

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.3 RON (1 RON = 0.189 EUR).

Czech Koruna exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 21.73 CZK (100 CZK = 4.6 USD). 1 EUR = 24.37 CZK (100 CZK = 4.1 EUR).

USD to RON in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bucharest Ceske Budejovice 1,020 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Bucharest
Ceske Budejovice

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ceske Budejovice: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Ceske Budejovice differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,351 vs $1,704 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Ceske Budejovice. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $673 in Bucharest versus $736 in Ceske Budejovice. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,351 per month in Bucharest versus $1,704 in Ceske Budejovice – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 12% less than in Ceske Budejovice. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,351 in Bucharest versus $1,704 in Ceske Budejovice, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Ceske Budejovice. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest 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 Ceske Budejovice 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 Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Ceske Budejovice. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.