Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Dealu Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Dealu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,400 in Bucharest versus $1,080 in Dealu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,113 in Bucharest versus $1,831 in Dealu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,826 in Bucharest versus $2,581 in Dealu.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 30% more expensive than in Dealu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 3% above, Dealu is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.53 RON 66.2

$14.69 RON 66.9

-1.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.1 RON 283

$89.0 RON 405

-30.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.55 RON 34.37

$8.76 RON 39.89

-13.81%

Cappuccino

$3.65 RON 16.62

$2.13 RON 9.71

71.36%

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

$2.33 RON 10.60

$2.08 RON 9.46

12.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 RON 10.57

$1.98 RON 9.01

17.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.91 RON 17.79

$2.70 RON 12.30

44.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 RON 20.25

$3.30 RON 15.04

34.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.65

$1.81 RON 8.25

-7.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 RON 6.00

$1.42 RON 6.45

-7.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 RON 7.99

$1.79 RON 8.16

-2.23%

Eggs

$3.76 RON 17.14

$4.86 RON 22.11

-22.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 RON 43.73

$8.73 RON 39.75

10.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.46

$5.49 RON 25.00

29.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.38 RON 56.4

$10.36 RON 47.14

19.50%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.65

$1.15 RON 5.25

7.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.35

$1.59 RON 7.22

1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.26

$1.67 RON 7.59

-4.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.79 RON 12.72

$2.75 RON 12.50

1.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.45

$0.75 RON 3.40

1.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 RON 3.16

$0.67 RON 3.06

2.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 4.13

$0.75 RON 3.40

21.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.27

$0.86 RON 3.91

9.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.69 RON 30.47

$5.53 RON 25.18

20.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 RON 30.58

$6.45 RON 29.38

4.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 RON 5.62

$1.50 RON 6.85

-18.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.90

$1.99 RON 9.06

-13.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 RON 4.65

$0.71 RON 3.21

43.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.71 RON 98.8

$22.20 RON 101

-2.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 RON 3.08

$0.63 RON 2.88

7.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.93

$0.66 RON 3.00

-3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 RON 30.52

$6.74 RON 30.66

-0.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 RON 8.95

$1.76 RON 8.03

11.93%

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

$29.1K RON 132.6K

$29.3K RON 133.2K

-0.48%

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

$27.2K RON 123.8K

$29.1K RON 132.5K

-6.53%

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

$198 RON 902

$109 RON 496

81.79%

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

$8.13 RON 37.00

$11.11 RON 50.6

-26.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.01 RON 45.55

$4.98 RON 22.65

101.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.0 RON 241

$37.64 RON 171

40.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.73 RON 122

$21.29 RON 96.9

25.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.64 RON 39.31

$11.18 RON 50.9

-22.72%

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

$670 RON 3,049

$606 RON 2,760

10.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K RON 63.4K

$6,433 RON 29.3K

116.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.0 RON 400

$66.2 RON 302

32.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.85 RON 181

$37.49 RON 171

6.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 RON 385

$130 RON 591

-34.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 462

$110 RON 499

-7.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$697 RON 3,174

$451 RON 2,054

54.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 RON 2,105

$263 RON 1,198

75.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 RON 5,198

$708 RON 3,224

61.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 RON 3,303

$539 RON 2,452

34.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,021 RON 18.3K

$2,159 RON 9,831

86.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,195 RON 9,991

$1,446 RON 6,581

51.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,449 RON 6,596

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.01

6.97

0.57%

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

Last update for Bucharest: August 3, 2026

Last update for Dealu: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $697 in Bucharest and $451 in Dealu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Bucharest vs $89.0 in Dealu. Groceries flip the comparison at $232 vs $221, with Dealu cheaper for home cooking.

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 Dealu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Dealu differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,400 vs $1,080 including rent). Dealu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,101 in Bucharest and $1,621 in Dealu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $697 in Bucharest versus $451 in Dealu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,400 per month in Bucharest versus $1,080 in Dealu – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dealu runs roughly 2% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,080 in Dealu versus $1,400 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dealu but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Dealu 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 Dealu 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 Dealu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.