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: $1,316 in Bucharest versus $1,109 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,132 in Bucharest versus $1,650 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,949 in Bucharest versus $2,191 in Craiova.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.55 RON 61.9

$9.38 RON 42.84

44.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 RON 314

$45.95 RON 210

49.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 RON 35.75

$7.96 RON 36.34

-1.63%

Cappuccino

$3.44 RON 15.72

$2.49 RON 11.36

38.15%

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

$2.29 RON 10.47

$2.10 RON 9.59

9.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.07

$1.92 RON 8.79

26.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.40 RON 15.54

$2.25 RON 10.26

51.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 RON 17.76

$3.35 RON 15.29

16.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 RON 8.24

$1.56 RON 7.12

16.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.48

$1.00 RON 4.56

42.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.49

$1.71 RON 7.80

8.77%

Eggs

$3.70 RON 16.88

$3.23 RON 14.73

14.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.40 RON 42.92

$7.72 RON 35.27

21.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.20 RON 32.86

$6.48 RON 29.60

11.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 RON 54.7

$9.81 RON 44.79

22.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.36

$1.23 RON 5.63

13.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.84

$1.70 RON 7.76

1.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.96

$1.60 RON 7.30

8.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 RON 11.29

$1.84 RON 8.40

34.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.57

$1.07 RON 4.90

-6.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.70

$1.14 RON 5.19

-9.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.56

$0.80 RON 3.65

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 RON 4.26

$0.80 RON 3.66

16.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.37 RON 29.10

$5.88 RON 26.86

8.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.70 RON 30.58

$6.34 RON 28.93

5.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 RON 5.81

$1.30 RON 5.93

-2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.16

$2.25 RON 10.29

-10.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 RON 5.41

$0.72 RON 3.29

63.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 RON 87.6

$23.02 RON 105

-16.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 3.00

$0.56 RON 2.56

17.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.82

$0.89 RON 4.06

-30.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 RON 31.73

$6.75 RON 30.83

2.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.83

$1.60 RON 7.32

7.50%

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

$28.2K RON 128.9K

$27.5K RON 125.5K

2.73%

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

$30.1K RON 137.3K

$27.6K RON 126.1K

8.86%

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

$182 RON 832

$212 RON 969

-14.12%

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

$8.96 RON 40.89

$8.08 RON 36.89

10.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.24 RON 51.4

$11.58 RON 52.9

-2.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 RON 245

$37.03 RON 169

45.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 133

$18.97 RON 86.6

53.08%

Cinema Ticket

$9.00 RON 41.09

$6.54 RON 29.89

37.61%

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

$661 RON 3,018

$434 RON 1,980

52.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K RON 66.7K

$8,856 RON 40.4K

65.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 RON 371

$78.5 RON 358

3.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.34 RON 202

$37.91 RON 173

16.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.2 RON 412

$77.6 RON 354

16.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 RON 502

$86.8 RON 396

26.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 RON 3,018

$386 RON 1,764

71.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 2,023

$317 RON 1,446

39.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 RON 6,065

$706 RON 3,223

88.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$830 RON 3,789

$436 RON 1,989

90.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,866 RON 17.7K

$2,735 RON 12.5K

41.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,178 RON 9,946

$1,998 RON 9,122

9.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,432 RON 6,540

$945 RON 4,316

51.52%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Craiova: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Bucharest and $386 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 52% 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 $46.00 in Craiova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $204 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 ($1,316 vs $1,109 including rent). Craiova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 52% 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: $661 in Bucharest versus $386 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,316 per month in Bucharest versus $1,109 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 20% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,109 in Craiova versus $1,316 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.