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: $1,331 in Bucharest versus $1,152 in Chitila.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,166 in Bucharest versus $1,829 in Chitila.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Bucharest versus $2,505 in Chitila.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 16% more expensive than Chitila, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bucharest 1% lower, Chitila 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.87 RON 62.7

$13.63 RON 61.6

1.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 RON 317

$69.2 RON 313

1.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 RON 37.24

$8.08 RON 36.56

1.86%

Cappuccino

$3.45 RON 15.60

$3.27 RON 14.80

5.50%

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

$2.33 RON 10.54

$1.91 RON 8.62

21.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 RON 10.47

$1.31 RON 5.95

76.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 RON 15.89

$2.31 RON 10.46

51.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 RON 17.16

$3.15 RON 14.25

20.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.06

$1.77 RON 8.00

0.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 RON 6.47

$1.25 RON 5.65

14.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.28

$1.92 RON 8.68

-4.69%

Eggs

$3.53 RON 15.98

$3.18 RON 14.39

11.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 RON 43.47

$9.40 RON 42.54

2.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.92 RON 31.28

$6.61 RON 29.90

4.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 RON 55.5

$11.80 RON 53.4

3.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.29

$1.40 RON 6.32

-0.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.76

$1.71 RON 7.74

0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 RON 7.92

$1.77 RON 7.99

-1.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.85

$2.43 RON 11.00

-1.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.69

$1.01 RON 4.56

2.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.36

$1.04 RON 4.70

-7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.46

$0.93 RON 4.20

5.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.12

$0.92 RON 4.16

-1.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 RON 28.73

$6.30 RON 28.50

0.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.62 RON 29.94

$6.70 RON 30.33

-1.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.54

$1.14 RON 5.16

7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.08

$1.78 RON 8.07

12.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 RON 5.05

$0.68 RON 3.07

64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.94 RON 90.2

$20.03 RON 90.6

-0.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$0.67 RON 3.03

4.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 RON 2.97

$0.66 RON 2.99

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 RON 30.74

$7.00 RON 31.65

-3.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 RON 7.81

$1.67 RON 7.55

3.59%

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

$29.1K RON 131.5K

$28.2K RON 127.5K

3.12%

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

$30.4K RON 137.4K

$27.8K RON 125.7K

9.31%

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

$178 RON 804

$182 RON 823

-2.28%

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

$9.16 RON 41.45

$8.85 RON 40.04

3.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.22 RON 50.7

$11.20 RON 50.7

0.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 RON 250

$41.40 RON 187

33.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.55 RON 134

$19.46 RON 88.0

51.85%

Cinema Ticket

$8.96 RON 40.51

$8.12 RON 36.73

10.34%

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

$657 RON 2,973

$551 RON 2,494

19.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K RON 65.8K

$8,277 RON 37.4K

75.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.4 RON 368

$80.5 RON 364

1.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.88 RON 208

$64.3 RON 291

-28.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 RON 405

$90.2 RON 408

-0.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 495

$93.1 RON 421

17.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 RON 2,914

$381 RON 1,722

69.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 RON 2,007

$294 RON 1,329

51.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,343 RON 6,074

$578 RON 2,616

132.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 RON 3,833

$441 RON 1,994

92.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,941 RON 17.8K

$1,952 RON 8,828

101.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,248 RON 10.2K

$1,358 RON 6,143

65.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,425 RON 6,444

$873 RON 3,949

63.19%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chitila: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $644 in Bucharest and $381 in Chitila. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 63% 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: $70.0 in Bucharest vs $69.0 in Chitila for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $226 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 ($1,331 vs $1,152 including rent). Chitila is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 63% 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: $644 in Bucharest versus $381 in Chitila. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,331 per month in Bucharest versus $1,152 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 0% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,152 in Chitila versus $1,331 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.