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: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,066 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,774 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $2,482 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 25% more expensive than Drobeta-Turnu Severin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Drobeta-Turnu Severin is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$14.00 RON 63.3

-3.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$68.7 RON 310

-0.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$8.11 RON 36.66

-0.74%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$3.28 RON 14.85

3.66%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$2.25 RON 10.15

3.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$2.39 RON 10.82

-0.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$3.38 RON 15.29

4.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$3.99 RON 18.02

0.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.81 RON 8.19

-3.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$1.43 RON 6.46

-0.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.85 RON 8.35

4.32%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$3.61 RON 16.33

-1.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$9.47 RON 42.82

-2.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$7.00 RON 31.64

1.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$12.04 RON 54.4

1.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$1.35 RON 6.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.77 RON 8.00

-1.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.80 RON 8.14

-2.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$2.43 RON 10.97

-1.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$0.99 RON 4.47

6.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$0.95 RON 4.28

1.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.92 RON 4.16

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.87 RON 3.95

4.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$6.32 RON 28.57

0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$8.22 RON 37.16

-21.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.23 RON 5.55

-0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.99 RON 8.99

-0.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.71 RON 3.22

63.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$19.50 RON 88.2

-0.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.66 RON 2.99

9.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

$0.61 RON 2.76

1.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$7.01 RON 31.69

-1.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.66 RON 7.53

3.01%

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

$29.0K RON 131.0K

$28.8K RON 130.0K

0.75%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$30.0K RON 135.5K

1.06%

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

$178 RON 803

$184 RON 832

-3.48%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$9.11 RON 41.20

0.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$11.36 RON 51.4

-2.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$41.21 RON 186

32.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$19.10 RON 86.4

52.04%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$9.24 RON 41.77

0.32%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$673 RON 3,043

0.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$14.7K RON 66.7K

0.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$82.0 RON 371

-2.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$44.52 RON 201

1.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$90.1 RON 407

-1.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$111 RON 501

-1.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$389 RON 1,757

70.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$184 RON 834

134.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$592 RON 2,677

128.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$442 RON 2,000

90.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

$947 RON 4,281

54.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

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

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Last update for Drobeta-Turnu Severin: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $389 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 55% 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 $69.0 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $236 per month, with Bucharest 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 25% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $1,066 including rent). Drobeta-Turnu Severin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 55% 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 $389 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,336 per month in Bucharest versus $1,066 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin – a 25% 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 0% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,066 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin versus $1,336 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 25% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.