Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Chitila Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Chitila

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,316 in Bucharest versus $1,137 in Chitila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,132 in Bucharest versus $1,802 in Chitila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,949 in Bucharest versus $2,468 in Chitila.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 16% more expensive than in Chitila, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bucharest 1% lower, Chitila 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.55 RON 61.9

$13.79 RON 63.0

-1.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 RON 314

$67.9 RON 310

1.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 RON 35.75

$8.24 RON 37.64

-4.98%

Cappuccino

$3.44 RON 15.72

$3.35 RON 15.29

2.69%

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

$2.29 RON 10.47

$1.89 RON 8.65

21.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.07

$1.30 RON 5.95

86.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 RON 15.54

$2.26 RON 10.33

50.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 RON 17.76

$3.27 RON 14.95

18.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 RON 8.24

$1.77 RON 8.07

2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.48

$1.25 RON 5.71

13.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.49

$1.92 RON 8.76

-3.12%

Eggs

$3.70 RON 16.88

$3.31 RON 15.11

11.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 RON 42.92

$9.60 RON 43.83

-2.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.20 RON 32.86

$6.60 RON 30.12

9.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 RON 54.7

$11.80 RON 53.9

1.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.36

$1.34 RON 6.12

3.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.84

$1.78 RON 8.13

-3.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.96

$1.77 RON 8.06

-1.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 RON 11.29

$2.51 RON 11.44

-1.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.57

$1.04 RON 4.74

-3.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.70

$1.00 RON 4.58

3.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.56

$0.98 RON 4.48

2.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 RON 4.26

$0.87 RON 3.98

6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 RON 29.10

$6.53 RON 29.80

-2.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.70 RON 30.58

$6.55 RON 29.92

2.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 RON 5.81

$1.10 RON 5.02

15.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.16

$1.87 RON 8.52

7.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 RON 5.41

$0.66 RON 3.00

78.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 RON 87.6

$19.61 RON 89.6

-2.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 3.00

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.82

$0.65 RON 2.98

-4.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 RON 31.73

$6.80 RON 31.04

2.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.83

$1.72 RON 7.85

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

$28.2K RON 128.9K

$27.9K RON 127.4K

1.20%

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

$30.1K RON 137.3K

$28.1K RON 128.4K

6.92%

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

$182 RON 832

$184 RON 840

-1.01%

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

$8.96 RON 40.89

$8.76 RON 39.98

2.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.24 RON 51.4

$11.38 RON 52.0

-1.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 RON 245

$41.60 RON 190

29.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 133

$19.25 RON 87.9

50.86%

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 RON 41.09

$8.02 RON 36.60

12.22%

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

$661 RON 3,018

$544 RON 2,482

21.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K RON 66.7K

$8,226 RON 37.6K

77.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 RON 371

$80.9 RON 369

0.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.34 RON 202

$66.4 RON 303

-33.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 RON 412

$91.4 RON 417

-1.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 RON 502

$92.6 RON 423

18.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 RON 3,018

$393 RON 1,794

68.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 2,023

$293 RON 1,336

51.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 RON 6,065

$595 RON 2,718

123.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 RON 3,789

$435 RON 1,989

90.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,866 RON 17.7K

$1,968 RON 8,987

96.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,178 RON 9,946

$1,391 RON 6,350

56.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,432 RON 6,540

$884 RON 4,038

61.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.78

4.72%

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

Last update for Bucharest: July 27, 2026

Last update for Chitila: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Bucharest and $393 in Chitila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 62% 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 $68.0 in Chitila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $227 per month, with Chitila 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 Chitila: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Chitila differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,316 vs $1,137 including rent). Chitila is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 62% 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: $661 in Bucharest versus $393 in Chitila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,316 per month in Bucharest versus $1,137 in Chitila – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chitila runs roughly 2% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,137 in Chitila versus $1,316 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chitila but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Chitila 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.

Expats usually find Chitila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.