Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Cugir Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Cugir

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,362 in Bucharest versus $951 in Cugir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,133 in Bucharest versus $1,390 in Cugir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Bucharest versus $1,828 in Cugir.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 43% more expensive than in Cugir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Cugir is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 RON 64.6

$6.41 RON 29.39

119.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 RON 316

$23.17 RON 106

197.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 37.04

$7.95 RON 36.44

1.64%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.55

$1.74 RON 7.96

94.83%

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

$2.24 RON 10.28

$1.42 RON 6.52

57.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.09

$1.34 RON 6.14

80.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.52

$1.56 RON 7.17

116.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 RON 17.57

$2.27 RON 10.42

68.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.88

$1.54 RON 7.05

11.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$1.27 RON 5.81

6.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.41

$1.49 RON 6.85

22.82%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.72

$3.20 RON 14.66

14.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 RON 42.31

$9.24 RON 42.36

-0.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.43

$6.42 RON 29.44

6.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 RON 55.2

$11.35 RON 52.0

5.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.15

$1.08 RON 4.97

24.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.56 RON 7.15

10.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$1.55 RON 7.10

17.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.97

$2.45 RON 11.23

-2.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$0.79 RON 3.61

31.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.67

$1.02 RON 4.69

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.49

$0.71 RON 3.26

38.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.78 RON 3.56

21.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 RON 29.33

$5.78 RON 26.49

10.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 RON 29.81

$5.46 RON 25.06

19.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.68

$1.20 RON 5.51

3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.86

$1.73 RON 7.95

11.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 RON 5.21

$0.72 RON 3.30

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.82 RON 90.9

$19.62 RON 90.0

1.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.27

$0.56 RON 2.57

26.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.99

$0.54 RON 2.48

20.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$5.63 RON 25.80

23.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.59

$1.49 RON 6.83

11.41%

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

$29.0K RON 132.8K

$27.8K RON 127.3K

4.27%

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

$30.1K RON 137.9K

$26.1K RON 119.9K

15.02%

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

$183 RON 841

$139 RON 637

31.98%

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

$8.95 RON 41.05

$8.60 RON 39.45

4.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 51.0

$9.36 RON 42.94

18.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 RON 249

$40.79 RON 187

33.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 RON 135

$19.35 RON 88.8

52.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 RON 41.88

$7.91 RON 36.26

15.42%

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

$676 RON 3,102

$506 RON 2,320

33.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 65.7K

$10.1K RON 46.2K

42.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 RON 372

$34.52 RON 158

134.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 RON 204

$9.08 RON 41.65

389.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 RON 412

$82.3 RON 378

9.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 496

$90.9 RON 417

18.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 3,036

$392 RON 1,799

68.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 2,021

$294 RON 1,347

49.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 6,202

$596 RON 2,731

127.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 RON 3,892

$430 RON 1,970

97.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,777 RON 17.3K

$1,925 RON 8,827

96.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 RON 10.2K

$1,593 RON 7,308

40.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,457

$546 RON 2,504

157.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.66

6.61%

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

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cugir: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $392 in Cugir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 158% 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 $23.00 in Cugir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $211 per month, with Cugir 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 Cugir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Cugir differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $951 including rent). Cugir is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 158% 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: $662 in Bucharest versus $392 in Cugir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,362 per month in Bucharest versus $951 in Cugir – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cugir runs roughly 1% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $951 in Cugir versus $1,362 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cugir but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Cugir 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.

Expats usually find Cugir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.