Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Deva Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Deva

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,430 in Bucharest versus $917 in Deva.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,131 in Bucharest versus $1,400 in Deva.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Bucharest versus $1,882 in Deva.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 56% more expensive than in Deva, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 4% above, Deva is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.63 RON 70.6

$7.11 RON 32.11

119.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 RON 281

$22.26 RON 101

179.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 RON 35.47

$7.84 RON 35.41

0.13%

Cappuccino

$3.63 RON 16.39

$1.82 RON 8.23

99.45%

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

$2.48 RON 11.19

$2.19 RON 9.88

13.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 RON 10.65

$1.27 RON 5.72

85.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 RON 17.71

$1.36 RON 6.13

188.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 RON 20.33

$2.24 RON 10.11

100.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 8.12

$1.77 RON 8.00

1.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.37

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.04

$1.21 RON 5.47

47.11%

Eggs

$3.88 RON 17.52

$3.35 RON 15.15

15.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 RON 43.43

$8.32 RON 37.58

15.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.16 RON 32.34

$5.28 RON 23.87

35.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 RON 55.3

$8.51 RON 38.43

43.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 RON 5.93

$1.52 RON 6.85

-13.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.66

$1.44 RON 6.51

18.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.36

$1.62 RON 7.30

0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 RON 12.55

$2.30 RON 10.40

20.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.80 RON 3.61

7.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 RON 3.36

$1.01 RON 4.56

-26.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 RON 4.25

$0.93 RON 4.19

1.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 RON 4.40

$0.91 RON 4.13

6.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.87 RON 31.04

$5.58 RON 25.20

23.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.66 RON 30.07

$7.92 RON 35.78

-15.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 RON 5.67

$1.08 RON 4.87

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.82

$1.79 RON 8.07

-3.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RON 4.86

$0.52 RON 2.36

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.84 RON 98.7

$34.17 RON 154

-36.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 2.88

$0.78 RON 3.53

-17.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 RON 3.08

$0.65 RON 2.92

4.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.46 RON 29.21

$8.70 RON 39.32

-25.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 RON 8.97

$1.60 RON 7.24

23.75%

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

$29.4K RON 132.7K

$29.9K RON 135.3K

-1.95%

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

$27.8K RON 125.8K

$26.1K RON 117.7K

6.83%

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

$204 RON 921

$138 RON 625

47.42%

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

$8.53 RON 38.54

$8.99 RON 40.64

-5.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 RON 44.59

$10.14 RON 45.83

-2.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$41.25 RON 186

32.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.58 RON 116

$55.4 RON 250

-53.80%

Cinema Ticket

$8.86 RON 40.03

$6.46 RON 29.19

37.15%

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

$663 RON 2,996

$616 RON 2,783

7.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K RON 69.1K

$10.0K RON 45.3K

52.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.2 RON 430

$74.2 RON 335

28.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.99 RON 185

$46.53 RON 210

-11.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 RON 374

$87.3 RON 394

-5.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 454

$77.3 RON 349

30.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 RON 3,206

$248 RON 1,120

186.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$490 RON 2,215

$191 RON 862

157.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 RON 5,104

$417 RON 1,884

170.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 RON 3,429

$365 RON 1,651

107.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,914 RON 17.7K

$4,941 RON 22.3K

-20.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,317 RON 10.5K

$3,528 RON 15.9K

-34.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,486 RON 6,713

$1,198 RON 5,412

24.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

6.73

1.49%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 1, 2026

Last update for Deva: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $710 in Bucharest and $248 in Deva. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 24% 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: $62.0 in Bucharest vs $22.00 in Deva for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $205 per month, with Deva 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 Deva: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Deva differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($1,430 vs $917 including rent). Deva is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 24% 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: $710 in Bucharest versus $248 in Deva. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,430 per month in Bucharest versus $917 in Deva – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Deva runs roughly 56% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $917 in Deva versus $1,430 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Deva but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Deva 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 Deva 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 Deva gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.