Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Constanta Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Constanta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,434 in Bucharest versus $1,323 in Constanta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,168 in Bucharest versus $2,009 in Constanta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,901 in Bucharest versus $2,696 in Constanta.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 8% more expensive than in Constanta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.25 RON 64.4

$13.10 RON 59.2

8.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 RON 273

$67.5 RON 305

-10.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 RON 33.99

$7.78 RON 35.12

-3.21%

Cappuccino

$3.72 RON 16.81

$3.31 RON 14.95

12.39%

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

$2.41 RON 10.89

$1.82 RON 8.22

32.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 RON 10.26

$1.30 RON 5.87

74.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.09 RON 18.46

$2.16 RON 9.75

89.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 RON 19.52

$3.24 RON 14.65

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.04

$1.72 RON 7.78

3.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 RON 6.63

$1.31 RON 5.89

12.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.17

$1.74 RON 7.88

4.02%

Eggs

$3.82 RON 17.24

$3.06 RON 13.80

24.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 RON 42.85

$8.96 RON 40.47

5.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 RON 31.39

$5.95 RON 26.89

16.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 RON 56.8

$9.37 RON 42.33

34.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 RON 5.99

$1.36 RON 6.15

-2.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.43

$1.75 RON 7.89

-5.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.26

$1.64 RON 7.42

-1.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 RON 12.15

$2.74 RON 12.38

-1.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$1.02 RON 4.63

-13.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.43

$1.04 RON 4.68

-26.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 RON 3.90

$1.05 RON 4.74

-18.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 RON 4.43

$0.92 RON 4.16

6.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.92 RON 31.25

$6.55 RON 29.56

5.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 RON 30.57

$6.82 RON 30.81

-0.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.82

$1.07 RON 4.82

20.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.82

$1.80 RON 8.12

-3.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$0.63 RON 2.85

34.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.35 RON 101

$17.52 RON 79.1

27.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 RON 2.93

$0.85 RON 3.82

-23.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.10

$0.86 RON 3.89

-19.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.84 RON 30.87

$7.86 RON 35.48

-12.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 RON 9.18

$1.85 RON 8.36

9.73%

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

$29.4K RON 132.9K

$29.2K RON 131.9K

0.70%

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

$27.6K RON 124.4K

$25.5K RON 115.0K

8.18%

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

$198 RON 894

$176 RON 797

12.18%

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

$8.71 RON 39.35

$8.14 RON 36.74

7.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.07 RON 45.48

$8.72 RON 39.40

15.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 RON 247

$57.6 RON 260

-4.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.74 RON 116

$14.22 RON 64.2

81.01%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 RON 39.47

$7.06 RON 31.88

23.80%

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

$648 RON 2,925

$591 RON 2,668

9.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K RON 68.5K

$8,122 RON 36.7K

86.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 RON 432

$70.2 RON 317

36.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 RON 182

$48.40 RON 219

-16.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 RON 367

$91.2 RON 412

-10.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 457

$89.4 RON 404

13.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 RON 3,172

$626 RON 2,828

12.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 RON 2,199

$491 RON 2,216

-0.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 RON 5,164

$1,105 RON 4,992

3.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 RON 3,406

$776 RON 3,506

-2.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 RON 18.2K

$2,583 RON 11.7K

56.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 RON 10.5K

$2,100 RON 9,485

11.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,535 RON 6,933

$1,001 RON 4,520

53.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.99

-2.43%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 6, 2026

Last update for Constanta: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $702 in Bucharest and $626 in Constanta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 53% 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: $60.0 in Bucharest vs $68.0 in Constanta. Groceries flip the comparison at $235 vs $215, with Constanta cheaper for home cooking.

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 Constanta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Constanta differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,434 vs $1,323 including rent). Constanta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 53% 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: $702 in Bucharest versus $626 in Constanta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,434 per month in Bucharest versus $1,323 in Constanta – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Constanta runs roughly 28% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,323 in Constanta versus $1,434 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Constanta but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Constanta 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 Constanta 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 Constanta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.