Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Cieszyn

For one person, living costs are similar in Bucharest and in Cieszyn: $1,337 and $1,372 a month, rent and utilities included.

65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Cieszyn
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Cieszyn Living Index

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Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,337

/mo nomad

Cieszyn

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,372

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bucharest and in Cieszyn

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 Cieszyn actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,337 in Bucharest versus $1,372 in Cieszyn.

Bucharest $1,337
Cieszyn $1,372

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,029 in Bucharest versus $1,991 in Cieszyn.

Bucharest $2,029
Cieszyn $1,991

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,721 in Bucharest versus $2,609 in Cieszyn.

Bucharest $2,721
Cieszyn $2,609

Living in Bucharest costs roughly 2% less than in Cieszyn, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 1% below, Cieszyn is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.45 RON 68.4

$7.06 zł 27.44

104.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 275

$37.63 zł 146

54.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 RON 35.65

$9.00 zł 34.96

-16.33%

Cappuccino

$3.45 RON 16.33

$3.08 zł 11.99

12.01%

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

$2.46 RON 11.65

$1.76 zł 6.85

39.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 RON 10.54

$1.25 zł 4.86

78.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.76 RON 17.78

$4.45 zł 17.30

-15.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 RON 19.84

$3.79 zł 14.74

10.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 RON 7.67

$0.99 zł 3.85

63.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 RON 6.13

$1.04 zł 4.05

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 RON 8.05

$1.72 zł 6.66

-1.16%

Eggs

$3.79 RON 17.93

$2.00 zł 7.76

89.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.86 RON 41.90

$9.06 zł 35.19

-2.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 RON 32.67

$7.83 zł 30.43

-11.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 RON 57.4

$13.03 zł 50.6

-6.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 RON 6.17

$0.99 zł 3.86

31.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.55

$1.57 zł 6.10

1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.42

$1.75 zł 6.79

-10.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 RON 12.67

$1.24 zł 4.81

116.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 RON 3.82

$0.73 zł 2.85

10.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.73

$0.79 zł 3.08

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 4.30

$1.20 zł 4.67

-24.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 RON 4.58

$0.73 zł 2.83

32.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.41 RON 30.34

$5.53 zł 21.49

15.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 RON 29.24

$6.20 zł 24.11

-0.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 RON 5.83

$0.99 zł 3.86

24.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 RON 7.91

$1.68 zł 6.54

-0.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 RON 4.10

$1.09 zł 4.25

-20.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.98 RON 99.3

$30.34 zł 118

-30.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 3.10

$2.26 zł 8.80

-70.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.85

$0.86 zł 3.33

-30.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 RON 29.28

$12.08 zł 46.92

-48.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 RON 9.15

$1.63 zł 6.34

18.40%

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

$28.7K RON 135.9K

$30.3K zł 117.6K

-5.06%

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

$26.3K RON 124.6K

$28.0K zł 108.8K

-6.01%

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

$196 RON 926

$251 zł 975

-22.04%

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

$8.49 RON 40.19

$8.53 zł 33.16

-0.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.05 RON 42.84

$17.24 zł 67.0

-47.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.54 RON 234

$38.80 zł 151

27.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.03 RON 118

$21.66 zł 84.2

15.56%

Cinema Ticket

$8.24 RON 39.01

$7.64 zł 29.69

7.85%

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

$636 RON 3,007

$151 zł 588

320.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K RON 69.0K

$9,833 zł 38.2K

48.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 RON 419

$45.08 zł 175

96.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.77 RON 183

$38.18 zł 148

1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 RON 373

$88.5 zł 344

-10.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 RON 428

$122 zł 473

-25.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 RON 3,288

$613 zł 2,382

13.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 RON 2,109

$499 zł 1,938

-10.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 RON 5,130

$998 zł 3,877

8.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 RON 3,368

$831 zł 3,227

-14.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,797 RON 18.0K

$2,886 zł 11.2K

31.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,202 RON 10.4K

$2,183 zł 8,482

0.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,354 RON 6,406

$1,440 zł 5,595

-5.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

6.62

1.96%

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

Last update for Bucharest: October 19, 2026

Last update for Cieszyn: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bucharest

$446 33.3%

Cieszyn

$499 36.4% 11.9% $53

Eating Out

Bucharest

$226 16.9%

Cieszyn

$162 11.8% 28% $63

Groceries & Markets

Bucharest

$225 16.9%

Cieszyn

$206 15% 8.5% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bucharest

$213 15.9%

Cieszyn

$277 20.2% 29.8% $64

Clothing & Footwear

Bucharest

$133 10%

Cieszyn

$132 9.6% 1% $1.4

Sport & Entertainment

Bucharest

$66 4.9%

Cieszyn

$54 3.9% 18.1% $12

Getting Around

Bucharest

$28 2.1%

Cieszyn

$41 3% 46.8% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $695 in Bucharest and $613 in Cieszyn. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cieszyn pays 6% 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 $38.00 in Cieszyn for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $206 per month, with Cieszyn cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🇵🇱 Cieszyn

🕒 Local time

00:38 12:38 AM

23:38 11:38 PM

1 h behind Bucharest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,883,425 Capital

33,757

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

Polish Złoty PLN zł

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

1 PLN = 0.257 USD

1 PLN = 0.229 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇴 Romanian Leu (lei)

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

USD to RON in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bucharest Cieszyn 820 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Bucharest
Cieszyn

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 Cieszyn: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Cieszyn differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,337 vs $1,372 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 6% lower in Cieszyn. 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: $695 in Bucharest versus $613 in Cieszyn. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,337 per month in Bucharest versus $1,372 in Cieszyn – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 45% less than in Cieszyn. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,337 in Bucharest versus $1,372 in Cieszyn, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Cieszyn. 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 Cieszyn 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 3% less than in Cieszyn. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.