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: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $951 in Cugir.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,403 in Cugir.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $1,854 in Cugir.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 41% more expensive than Cugir, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Cugir is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$6.37 RON 28.80

113.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$23.23 RON 105

193.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$8.12 RON 36.69

-0.86%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$1.71 RON 7.73

98.83%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$1.48 RON 6.68

56.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$1.27 RON 5.74

87.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$1.65 RON 7.44

114.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$2.26 RON 10.24

77.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.48 RON 6.71

17.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$1.27 RON 5.74

11.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.51 RON 6.80

27.81%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$3.18 RON 14.38

11.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$9.54 RON 43.13

-2.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$6.31 RON 28.54

13.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$11.49 RON 51.9

6.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$1.08 RON 4.90

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.50 RON 6.76

16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.61 RON 7.27

9.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$2.51 RON 11.33

-4.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$0.77 RON 3.48

36.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$0.98 RON 4.44

-2.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.67 RON 3.04

37.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.80 RON 3.60

13.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$5.83 RON 26.35

9.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$5.95 RON 26.88

8.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.26 RON 5.71

-3.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.73 RON 7.84

14.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.67 RON 3.03

73.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$19.51 RON 88.2

-0.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.55 RON 2.50

30.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

$0.54 RON 2.43

14.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$5.68 RON 25.66

22.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.52 RON 6.87

12.50%

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

$29.0K RON 131.0K

$28.1K RON 127.1K

3.07%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$26.3K RON 118.7K

15.35%

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

$178 RON 803

$140 RON 631

27.25%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$8.45 RON 38.19

8.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$9.22 RON 41.68

20.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$40.72 RON 184

34.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$19.13 RON 86.5

51.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$7.85 RON 35.49

18.09%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$500 RON 2,262

35.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$10.3K RON 46.5K

44.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$34.91 RON 158

128.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$9.20 RON 41.57

392.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$81.6 RON 369

9.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$91.7 RON 415

18.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$384 RON 1,734

72.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$295 RON 1,333

46.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$587 RON 2,654

130.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$439 RON 1,984

91.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$1,988 RON 8,985

94.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$1,187 RON 5,366

94.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

$564 RON 2,550

159.37%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cugir: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $384 in Cugir. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 159% 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 $23.00 in Cugir for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $212 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 41% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $951 including rent). Cugir is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 159% 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: $662 in Bucharest versus $384 in Cugir. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,336 per month in Bucharest versus $951 in Cugir – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cugir runs roughly 0% 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 $1,336 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 41% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.