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: $1,354 in Bucharest versus $1,106 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,145 in Bucharest versus $1,643 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,936 in Bucharest versus $2,180 in Craiova.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 22% more expensive than Craiova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 1% above, Craiova is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.79 RON 60.1

$9.06 RON 39.52

52.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 RON 299

$45.77 RON 200

49.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 RON 34.21

$8.27 RON 36.06

-5.08%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 14.77

$2.49 RON 10.84

36.14%

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

$2.33 RON 10.15

$2.19 RON 9.53

6.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 RON 10.00

$1.96 RON 8.56

16.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 RON 15.12

$2.37 RON 10.32

46.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 RON 17.35

$3.44 RON 14.98

15.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 RON 7.54

$1.57 RON 6.83

10.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 5.88

$0.99 RON 4.31

36.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.34

$1.69 RON 7.38

13.02%

Eggs

$3.49 RON 15.20

$3.35 RON 14.60

4.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 RON 41.74

$7.70 RON 33.59

24.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 RON 30.38

$6.71 RON 29.25

3.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.12 RON 52.8

$9.78 RON 42.65

23.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.07

$1.27 RON 5.53

9.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.45

$1.66 RON 7.25

3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.03

$1.57 RON 6.85

17.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 RON 10.93

$1.82 RON 7.94

37.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.37

$1.03 RON 4.50

-2.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.18

$1.10 RON 4.78

-12.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 3.98

$0.85 RON 3.70

7.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 RON 3.90

$0.76 RON 3.31

17.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 RON 27.67

$5.95 RON 25.95

6.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.02 RON 30.62

$6.35 RON 27.67

10.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 RON 5.54

$1.25 RON 5.47

1.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.42

$2.19 RON 9.55

-11.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 RON 4.94

$0.71 RON 3.09

59.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 RON 83.6

$23.01 RON 100

-16.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 2.92

$0.61 RON 2.65

9.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.61

$0.81 RON 3.54

-25.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 RON 29.89

$6.87 RON 29.96

-0.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.52

$1.57 RON 6.83

9.55%

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

$29.1K RON 126.7K

$27.9K RON 121.4K

4.33%

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

$30.3K RON 132.1K

$27.4K RON 119.4K

10.69%

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

$181 RON 788

$207 RON 902

-12.70%

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

$8.87 RON 38.69

$7.90 RON 34.45

12.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.10 RON 48.39

$11.74 RON 51.2

-5.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 RON 239

$36.46 RON 159

50.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.47 RON 129

$18.49 RON 80.6

59.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.16 RON 39.96

$6.75 RON 29.43

35.70%

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

$658 RON 2,868

$445 RON 1,941

47.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 62.4K

$8,844 RON 38.6K

61.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.9 RON 357

$78.9 RON 344

3.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.07 RON 196

$37.74 RON 165

19.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 RON 400

$78.6 RON 343

16.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 472

$85.5 RON 373

26.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 RON 2,805

$382 RON 1,668

68.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 1,931

$315 RON 1,374

40.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 RON 5,794

$720 RON 3,141

84.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 RON 3,680

$444 RON 1,935

90.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,172 RON 18.2K

$2,730 RON 11.9K

52.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,298 RON 10.0K

$2,095 RON 9,133

9.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,515 RON 6,604

$1,077 RON 4,697

40.61%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Craiova: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $643 in Bucharest and $382 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 41% 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: $68.0 in Bucharest vs $46.00 in Craiova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $205 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 22% in total monthly costs ($1,354 vs $1,106 including rent). Craiova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 41% 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: $643 in Bucharest versus $382 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,354 per month in Bucharest versus $1,106 in Craiova – a 22% 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 $1,106 in Craiova versus $1,354 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 22% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.