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: $1,355 in Bucharest versus $1,307 in Constanta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Bucharest versus $2,122 in Constanta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,918 in Bucharest versus $2,937 in Constanta.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 1% above, Constanta is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 58.9

$14.00 RON 60.8

-3.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 RON 301

$68.4 RON 297

1.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 RON 34.84

$8.00 RON 34.71

0.37%

Cappuccino

$3.42 RON 14.86

$3.29 RON 14.29

3.95%

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

$2.33 RON 10.13

$1.89 RON 8.19

23.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 RON 10.09

$1.30 RON 5.63

78.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 RON 15.21

$2.34 RON 10.15

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 RON 16.60

$3.27 RON 14.19

16.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.41

$1.77 RON 7.70

-3.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.13

$1.28 RON 5.57

10.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 7.95

$1.86 RON 8.07

-1.61%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.29

$3.32 RON 14.40

6.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 RON 40.90

$9.63 RON 41.78

-2.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.09 RON 30.77

$6.74 RON 29.26

5.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 53.3

$11.60 RON 50.4

5.86%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 5.82

$1.47 RON 6.38

-8.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.47

$1.79 RON 7.78

-3.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 RON 7.67

$1.78 RON 7.72

-0.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.37

$2.50 RON 10.83

-4.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.52

$1.02 RON 4.41

1.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.25

$1.11 RON 4.81

-11.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 RON 4.04

$0.98 RON 4.25

-5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.18

$0.86 RON 3.72

11.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 27.26

$6.46 RON 28.04

-2.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 RON 31.42

$7.07 RON 30.68

2.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.37

$1.10 RON 4.75

12.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 RON 8.76

$1.86 RON 8.06

8.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 RON 5.11

$0.66 RON 2.85

78.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.62 RON 85.2

$18.52 RON 80.4

5.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 2.88

$0.94 RON 4.08

-29.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.62

$0.74 RON 3.22

-18.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.08 RON 30.74

$7.94 RON 34.46

-10.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.23

$1.67 RON 7.25

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

$28.4K RON 123.3K

$27.5K RON 119.5K

3.19%

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

$30.5K RON 132.2K

$27.5K RON 119.4K

10.67%

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

$182 RON 791

$185 RON 803

-1.58%

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

$8.93 RON 38.74

$8.06 RON 34.98

10.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.15 RON 48.37

$9.29 RON 40.30

20.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 RON 235

$58.4 RON 253

-7.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.96 RON 126

$36.20 RON 157

-20.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 RON 39.89

$7.85 RON 34.05

17.07%

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

$662 RON 2,873

$542 RON 2,352

22.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K RON 62.7K

$8,256 RON 35.8K

74.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.5 RON 345

$70.3 RON 305

13.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.22 RON 196

$64.4 RON 280

-29.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 RON 395

$75.0 RON 325

21.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 RON 477

$81.2 RON 352

35.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 RON 2,869

$582 RON 2,526

13.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 RON 1,863

$458 RON 1,987

-6.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 5,869

$1,129 RON 4,899

19.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 RON 3,691

$866 RON 3,760

-1.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,026 RON 17.5K

$2,648 RON 11.5K

52.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 RON 9,911

$2,052 RON 8,905

11.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,522 RON 6,605

$994 RON 4,313

53.15%

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Constanta: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Bucharest and $582 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: $69 in Bucharest vs $68 in Constanta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $229 per month, with Constanta 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 Constanta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Constanta differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,355 vs $1,307 including rent). Constanta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 53% 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: $661 in Bucharest versus $582 in Constanta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,355 per month in Bucharest versus $1,307 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 6% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,307 in Constanta versus $1,355 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.