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: $1,331 in Bucharest versus $1,300 in Constanta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,166 in Bucharest versus $2,124 in Constanta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Bucharest versus $2,947 in Constanta.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 2% more expensive than Constanta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bucharest 1% lower, Constanta 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.87 RON 63.0

$13.58 RON 61.7

2.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 RON 318

$69.9 RON 317

0.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 RON 37.37

$7.96 RON 36.13

3.39%

Cappuccino

$3.45 RON 15.65

$3.35 RON 15.19

2.99%

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

$2.33 RON 10.58

$1.90 RON 8.64

22.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 RON 10.51

$1.30 RON 5.92

77.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 RON 15.94

$2.26 RON 10.25

55.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 RON 17.22

$3.26 RON 14.79

16.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.09

$1.71 RON 7.76

4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 RON 6.49

$1.25 RON 5.68

14.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.31

$1.90 RON 8.61

-3.68%

Eggs

$3.53 RON 16.04

$3.23 RON 14.65

9.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 RON 43.62

$9.92 RON 45.05

-3.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.92 RON 31.39

$6.76 RON 30.71

2.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 RON 55.7

$11.78 RON 53.5

4.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.32

$1.45 RON 6.58

-4.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.79

$1.73 RON 7.87

-0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 RON 7.95

$1.76 RON 8.01

-0.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.89

$2.52 RON 11.45

-4.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.71

$1.01 RON 4.57

2.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.38

$1.11 RON 5.04

-13.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.47

$1.02 RON 4.64

-3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.13

$0.90 RON 4.10

1.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 RON 28.83

$6.27 RON 28.47

1.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.62 RON 30.05

$6.76 RON 30.69

-2.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.56

$1.10 RON 5.00

10.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.11

$1.87 RON 8.51

7.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 RON 5.07

$0.67 RON 3.02

67.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.94 RON 90.5

$18.09 RON 82.1

10.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 RON 3.20

$0.95 RON 4.30

-26.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 RON 2.98

$0.70 RON 3.16

-5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 RON 30.85

$7.83 RON 35.54

-13.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 RON 7.84

$1.68 RON 7.63

2.98%

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

$29.1K RON 132.0K

$28.0K RON 127.3K

3.67%

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

$30.4K RON 137.9K

$27.9K RON 126.6K

8.95%

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

$178 RON 807

$187 RON 850

-4.98%

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

$9.16 RON 41.60

$7.96 RON 36.13

15.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.22 RON 50.9

$9.03 RON 40.99

24.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 RON 251

$58.2 RON 264

-5.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.55 RON 134

$37.53 RON 170

-21.26%

Cinema Ticket

$8.96 RON 40.66

$8.16 RON 37.06

9.80%

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

$657 RON 2,984

$539 RON 2,448

21.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K RON 66.0K

$8,309 RON 37.7K

74.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.4 RON 370

$69.0 RON 313

18.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.88 RON 208

$65.7 RON 298

-30.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 RON 406

$75.8 RON 344

18.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 497

$79.3 RON 360

38.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 RON 2,925

$589 RON 2,675

9.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 RON 2,014

$458 RON 2,080

-3.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,343 RON 6,095

$1,133 RON 5,145

18.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 RON 3,847

$864 RON 3,923

-1.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,941 RON 17.9K

$2,572 RON 11.7K

53.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,248 RON 10.2K

$2,018 RON 9,159

11.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,425 RON 6,467

$985 RON 4,469

44.69%

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 Constanta: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $644 in Bucharest and $589 in Constanta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 45% 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 $70.0 in Constanta. Groceries flip the comparison at $233 vs $229, 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 2% in total monthly costs ($1,331 vs $1,300 including rent). Constanta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 45% 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 $589 in Constanta. 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 $1,300 in Constanta – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Constanta runs roughly 10% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,300 in Constanta versus $1,331 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 2% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.