Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Drobeta-Turnu Severin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Drobeta-Turnu Severin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,434 in Bucharest versus $934 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,168 in Bucharest versus $1,560 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,901 in Bucharest versus $2,186 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 53% more expensive than in Drobeta-Turnu Severin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 4% above, Drobeta-Turnu Severin is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.25 RON 64.6

$9.02 RON 40.87

57.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 RON 274

$44.79 RON 203

35.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 RON 34.09

$7.92 RON 35.87

-4.92%

Cappuccino

$3.72 RON 16.85

$3.29 RON 14.91

13.07%

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

$2.41 RON 10.92

$2.12 RON 9.58

13.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 RON 10.29

$1.93 RON 8.73

17.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.09 RON 18.51

$3.40 RON 15.42

20.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 RON 19.58

$4.20 RON 19.03

2.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.06

$1.47 RON 6.64

21.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 RON 6.65

$1.16 RON 5.25

26.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.20

$1.40 RON 6.33

29.29%

Eggs

$3.82 RON 17.29

$3.66 RON 16.58

4.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 RON 42.97

$8.21 RON 37.19

15.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 RON 31.48

$6.37 RON 28.84

9.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 RON 57.0

$8.54 RON 38.68

47.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.01

$1.21 RON 5.46

9.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.45

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.28

$1.54 RON 6.96

4.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 RON 12.18

$2.64 RON 11.95

1.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.99

$0.74 RON 3.37

18.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.44

$0.63 RON 2.86

20.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 RON 3.91

$1.08 RON 4.87

-20.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 RON 4.44

$0.90 RON 4.06

8.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.92 RON 31.34

$6.41 RON 29.05

7.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 RON 30.66

$7.94 RON 35.96

-14.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.83

$1.01 RON 4.58

27.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.84

$1.47 RON 6.64

17.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$0.66 RON 3.00

28.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.35 RON 101

$22.85 RON 103

-2.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 RON 2.94

$0.97 RON 4.41

-32.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.11

$0.88 RON 3.97

-21.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.84 RON 30.96

$8.69 RON 39.37

-21.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 RON 9.21

$1.87 RON 8.46

8.56%

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

$29.4K RON 133.2K

$29.3K RON 132.6K

0.46%

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

$27.6K RON 124.8K

$26.0K RON 117.5K

6.18%

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

$198 RON 896

$123 RON 558

60.64%

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

$8.71 RON 39.47

$9.48 RON 42.93

-8.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.07 RON 45.61

$13.06 RON 59.2

-22.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 RON 248

$43.89 RON 199

24.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.74 RON 117

$21.89 RON 99.1

17.59%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 RON 39.58

$7.06 RON 31.96

23.80%

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

$648 RON 2,934

$474 RON 2,145

36.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K RON 68.7K

$6,993 RON 31.7K

117.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 RON 433

$78.1 RON 354

22.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 RON 183

$33.42 RON 151

20.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 RON 368

$93.1 RON 421

-12.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 458

$95.9 RON 434

5.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 RON 3,181

$400 RON 1,813

75.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 RON 2,205

$180 RON 817

170.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 RON 5,179

$634 RON 2,871

80.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 RON 3,416

$474 RON 2,146

59.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 RON 18.3K

$1,888 RON 8,548

113.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 RON 10.6K

$1,507 RON 6,824

54.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,535 RON 6,953

$978 RON 4,430

56.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

7.02

-2.85%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 6, 2026

Last update for Drobeta-Turnu Severin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $702 in Bucharest and $400 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 57% 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: $60.0 in Bucharest vs $45.00 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $206 per month, with Drobeta-Turnu Severin 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 Drobeta-Turnu Severin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Drobeta-Turnu Severin differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($1,434 vs $934 including rent). Drobeta-Turnu Severin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 57% 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: $702 in Bucharest versus $400 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,434 per month in Bucharest versus $934 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $934 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin versus $1,434 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Drobeta-Turnu Severin but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Drobeta-Turnu Severin 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 Drobeta-Turnu Severin 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 Drobeta-Turnu Severin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.