Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Craiova Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Craiova

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,331 in Bucharest versus $1,115 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,166 in Bucharest versus $1,639 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Bucharest versus $2,163 in Craiova.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 19% more expensive than Craiova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bucharest 1% lower, Craiova 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.87 RON 62.7

$8.96 RON 40.53

54.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 RON 317

$46.48 RON 210

50.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 RON 37.24

$7.99 RON 36.16

3.00%

Cappuccino

$3.45 RON 15.60

$2.59 RON 11.73

33.20%

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

$2.33 RON 10.54

$2.09 RON 9.44

11.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 RON 10.47

$1.87 RON 8.44

23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 RON 15.89

$2.35 RON 10.61

49.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 RON 17.16

$3.52 RON 15.94

7.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.06

$1.51 RON 6.84

17.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 RON 6.47

$1.00 RON 4.51

43.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.28

$1.71 RON 7.72

7.02%

Eggs

$3.53 RON 15.98

$3.27 RON 14.78

7.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 RON 43.47

$7.76 RON 35.10

23.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.92 RON 31.28

$6.54 RON 29.60

5.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 RON 55.5

$9.45 RON 42.75

29.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.29

$1.28 RON 5.80

8.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.76

$1.69 RON 7.64

1.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 RON 7.92

$1.57 RON 7.11

11.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.85

$1.87 RON 8.47

28.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.69

$1.03 RON 4.68

0.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.36

$1.12 RON 5.07

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.46

$0.80 RON 3.61

22.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.12

$0.80 RON 3.64

13.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 RON 28.73

$6.03 RON 27.26

5.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.62 RON 29.94

$6.00 RON 27.16

10.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.54

$1.31 RON 5.95

-6.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.08

$2.26 RON 10.24

-11.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 RON 5.05

$0.67 RON 3.02

67.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.94 RON 90.2

$23.28 RON 105

-14.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$0.57 RON 2.58

22.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 RON 2.97

$0.83 RON 3.77

-20.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 RON 30.74

$7.10 RON 32.12

-4.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 RON 7.81

$1.61 RON 7.27

7.45%

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

$29.1K RON 131.5K

$27.5K RON 124.6K

5.55%

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

$30.4K RON 137.4K

$27.8K RON 125.9K

9.15%

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

$178 RON 804

$212 RON 957

-15.98%

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

$9.16 RON 41.45

$8.06 RON 36.48

13.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.22 RON 50.7

$11.54 RON 52.2

-2.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 RON 250

$36.06 RON 163

53.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.55 RON 134

$18.75 RON 84.8

57.60%

Cinema Ticket

$8.96 RON 40.51

$6.69 RON 30.28

33.93%

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

$657 RON 2,973

$436 RON 1,971

50.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K RON 65.8K

$8,920 RON 40.4K

62.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.4 RON 368

$80.5 RON 364

1.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.88 RON 208

$36.68 RON 166

25.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 RON 405

$78.5 RON 355

13.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 495

$87.8 RON 397

24.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 RON 2,914

$387 RON 1,751

66.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 RON 2,007

$307 RON 1,389

44.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,343 RON 6,074

$727 RON 3,287

84.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 RON 3,833

$448 RON 2,028

89.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,941 RON 17.8K

$2,639 RON 11.9K

49.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,248 RON 10.2K

$2,047 RON 9,260

9.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,425 RON 6,444

$998 RON 4,516

42.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.28

13.06%

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

Last update for Bucharest: June 8, 2026

Last update for Craiova: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $644 in Bucharest and $387 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 43% 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 $46.00 in Craiova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $203 per month, with Craiova 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 Craiova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Craiova differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,331 vs $1,115 including rent). Craiova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 43% 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 $387 in Craiova. 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 $1,115 in Craiova – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 17% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,115 in Craiova versus $1,331 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Craiova but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Craiova 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 Craiova 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 Craiova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.