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: $1,361 in Bucharest versus $1,314 in Constanta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Bucharest versus $2,126 in Constanta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,994 in Bucharest versus $2,939 in Constanta.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 4% more expensive than in Constanta, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Constanta is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 62.3

$13.83 RON 63.4

-1.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 RON 318

$68.9 RON 316

0.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 RON 37.61

$7.98 RON 36.59

2.76%

Cappuccino

$3.27 RON 15.01

$3.31 RON 15.19

-1.21%

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

$2.31 RON 10.59

$1.96 RON 8.98

17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 RON 10.69

$1.30 RON 5.95

79.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RON 15.41

$2.35 RON 10.78

42.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 RON 17.62

$3.24 RON 14.84

18.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.14

$1.70 RON 7.80

4.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 RON 6.25

$1.30 RON 5.94

4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.86

$1.93 RON 8.84

Eggs

$3.62 RON 16.61

$3.16 RON 14.47

14.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 RON 43.50

$9.98 RON 45.74

-4.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 RON 31.44

$6.69 RON 30.65

2.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 RON 56.2

$11.69 RON 53.6

4.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.38

$1.46 RON 6.69

-4.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.80

$1.71 RON 7.86

-0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 8.05

$1.73 RON 7.94

1.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 RON 11.53

$2.50 RON 11.46

0.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.77

$1.00 RON 4.58

4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.64

$1.10 RON 5.06

-8.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.57

$1.02 RON 4.67

-1.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.37

$0.86 RON 3.94

10.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.32 RON 28.96

$6.43 RON 29.48

-1.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 RON 29.13

$6.49 RON 29.76

-2.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 RON 5.85

$1.13 RON 5.19

13.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 RON 9.17

$1.78 RON 8.18

12.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 RON 5.12

$0.67 RON 3.06

67.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.43 RON 89.1

$18.55 RON 85.1

4.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 3.03

$0.88 RON 4.02

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.77

$0.71 RON 3.25

-15.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 RON 31.20

$7.96 RON 36.48

-14.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.89

$1.70 RON 7.80

1.18%

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

$29.0K RON 133.2K

$28.5K RON 130.8K

1.84%

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

$29.9K RON 137.1K

$27.9K RON 128.0K

7.11%

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

$179 RON 819

$189 RON 868

-5.70%

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

$8.77 RON 40.20

$8.03 RON 36.81

9.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.15 RON 51.1

$9.04 RON 41.43

23.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 RON 251

$59.7 RON 274

-8.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.28 RON 134

$37.16 RON 170

-21.21%

Cinema Ticket

$9.41 RON 43.16

$8.09 RON 37.08

16.32%

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

$668 RON 3,061

$552 RON 2,529

21.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K RON 66.0K

$8,479 RON 38.9K

69.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 RON 370

$70.0 RON 321

15.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.84 RON 206

$66.5 RON 305

-32.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 RON 410

$75.2 RON 345

18.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 501

$79.5 RON 365

37.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 RON 3,015

$584 RON 2,678

12.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,983

$456 RON 2,089

-5.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 RON 6,117

$1,155 RON 5,298

15.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 RON 3,929

$884 RON 4,051

-3.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,890 RON 17.8K

$2,592 RON 11.9K

50.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,171 RON 9,953

$2,026 RON 9,291

7.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,436 RON 6,583

$984 RON 4,512

45.92%

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 21, 2026

Last update for Constanta: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Bucharest and $584 in Constanta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 46% 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 $69.0 in Constanta. Groceries flip the comparison at $234 vs $228, 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 4% in total monthly costs ($1,361 vs $1,314 including rent). Constanta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 46% 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: $657 in Bucharest versus $584 in Constanta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,361 per month in Bucharest versus $1,314 in Constanta – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Constanta runs roughly 5% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,314 in Constanta versus $1,361 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 4% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.