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: $1,354 in Bucharest versus $1,095 in Dealu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,145 in Bucharest versus $1,729 in Dealu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,936 in Bucharest versus $2,362 in Dealu.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 24% more expensive than Dealu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 1% above, Dealu is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.79 RON 60.1

$11.66 RON 50.8

18.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 RON 299

$58.0 RON 253

18.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 RON 34.21

$7.84 RON 34.17

0.13%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 14.77

$3.39 RON 14.76

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

$2.33 RON 10.15

$2.32 RON 10.11

0.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 RON 10.00

$2.19 RON 9.53

4.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 RON 15.12

$3.24 RON 14.14

7.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 RON 17.35

$3.99 RON 17.39

-0.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 RON 7.54

$1.77 RON 7.71

-2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 5.88

$1.30 RON 5.67

3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.34

$1.89 RON 8.22

1.06%

Eggs

$3.49 RON 15.20

$3.34 RON 14.55

4.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 RON 41.74

$10.18 RON 44.38

-5.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 RON 30.38

$6.93 RON 30.21

0.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.12 RON 52.8

$12.03 RON 52.4

0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.07

$1.18 RON 5.16

17.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.45

$1.76 RON 7.69

-2.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.03

$1.55 RON 6.78

18.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 RON 10.93

$2.40 RON 10.46

4.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.37

$1.01 RON 4.42

-0.99%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.18

$0.98 RON 4.28

-2.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 3.98

$1.03 RON 4.50

-11.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 RON 3.90

$0.95 RON 4.16

-6.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 RON 27.67

$6.20 RON 27.04

2.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.02 RON 30.62

$6.97 RON 30.39

0.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 RON 5.54

$1.15 RON 5.04

10.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.42

$1.97 RON 8.61

-2.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 RON 4.94

$0.71 RON 3.11

59.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 RON 83.6

$19.54 RON 85.2

-1.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 2.92

$1.01 RON 4.40

-33.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.61

$0.76 RON 3.33

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 RON 29.89

$9.36 RON 40.79

-26.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.52

$1.63 RON 7.11

5.52%

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

$29.1K RON 126.7K

$27.5K RON 119.8K

5.76%

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

$30.3K RON 132.1K

$26.5K RON 115.8K

14.14%

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

$181 RON 788

$155 RON 677

16.27%

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

$8.87 RON 38.69

$9.14 RON 39.86

-2.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.10 RON 48.39

$9.89 RON 43.11

12.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 RON 239

$40.74 RON 178

34.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.47 RON 129

$19.24 RON 83.9

53.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.16 RON 39.96

$8.10 RON 35.33

13.09%

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

$658 RON 2,868

$492 RON 2,144

33.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 62.4K

$10.6K RON 46.3K

34.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.9 RON 357

$68.6 RON 299

19.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.07 RON 196

$40.99 RON 179

9.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 RON 400

$84.8 RON 370

8.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 472

$101 RON 438

7.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 RON 2,805

$389 RON 1,697

65.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 1,931

$291 RON 1,270

52.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 RON 5,794

$596 RON 2,600

122.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 RON 3,680

$443 RON 1,933

90.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,172 RON 18.2K

$1,826 RON 7,962

128.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,298 RON 10.0K

$1,267 RON 5,526

81.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,515 RON 6,604

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

5.85

21.37%

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

Last update for Bucharest: April 28, 2026

Last update for Dealu: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $643 in Bucharest and $389 in Dealu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Bucharest vs $58.0 in Dealu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $232 per month, with Dealu 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 Dealu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Dealu differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,354 vs $1,095 including rent). Dealu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,031 in Bucharest and $1,643 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: $643 in Bucharest versus $389 in Dealu. 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 $1,095 in Dealu – a 24% 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 $1,095 in Dealu versus $1,354 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 24% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.