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: $1,362 in Bucharest versus $1,057 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,133 in Bucharest versus $1,784 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Bucharest versus $2,511 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 29% more expensive than in Drobeta-Turnu Severin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Drobeta-Turnu Severin is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 RON 64.6

$13.76 RON 63.1

2.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 RON 316

$68.4 RON 314

0.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 37.04

$8.15 RON 37.38

-0.86%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.55

$3.46 RON 15.85

-2.02%

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

$2.24 RON 10.28

$2.31 RON 10.60

-3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.09

$2.41 RON 11.07

0.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.52

$3.38 RON 15.48

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 RON 17.57

$3.89 RON 17.85

-1.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.88

$1.72 RON 7.90

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$1.40 RON 6.42

-3.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.41

$1.87 RON 8.55

-2.14%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.72

$3.65 RON 16.74

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 RON 42.31

$9.35 RON 42.88

-1.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.43

$6.83 RON 31.33

0.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 RON 55.2

$12.00 RON 55.0

0.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.15

$1.37 RON 6.26

-2.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.70 RON 7.82

1.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$1.77 RON 8.11

2.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.97

$2.40 RON 11.00

-0.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$1.04 RON 4.79

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.67

$1.03 RON 4.72

-0.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.49

$0.93 RON 4.28

5.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.96 RON 4.41

-1.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 RON 29.33

$6.56 RON 30.08

-2.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 RON 29.81

$8.37 RON 38.38

-22.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.68

$1.27 RON 5.82

-2.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.86

$1.99 RON 9.14

-3.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 RON 5.21

$0.66 RON 3.04

72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.82 RON 90.9

$19.81 RON 90.9

0.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.27

$0.66 RON 3.01

7.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.99

$0.65 RON 3.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$6.80 RON 31.20

1.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.59

$1.63 RON 7.48

1.84%

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

$29.0K RON 132.8K

$28.8K RON 131.9K

0.67%

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

$30.1K RON 137.9K

$30.7K RON 140.7K

-1.99%

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

$183 RON 841

$180 RON 824

2.04%

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

$8.95 RON 41.05

$9.14 RON 41.93

-2.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 51.0

$11.15 RON 51.1

-0.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 RON 249

$41.85 RON 192

29.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 RON 135

$19.35 RON 88.8

52.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 RON 41.88

$9.41 RON 43.16

-2.98%

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

$676 RON 3,102

$656 RON 3,008

3.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 65.7K

$14.4K RON 66.0K

-0.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 RON 372

$80.9 RON 371

0.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 RON 204

$44.39 RON 204

0.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 RON 412

$92.1 RON 422

-2.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 496

$109 RON 498

-0.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 3,036

$381 RON 1,747

73.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 2,021

$185 RON 849

138.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 6,202

$586 RON 2,689

130.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 RON 3,892

$442 RON 2,025

92.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,777 RON 17.3K

$2,044 RON 9,374

84.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 RON 10.2K

$1,579 RON 7,240

41.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,457

$932 RON 4,275

51.05%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Drobeta-Turnu Severin: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $381 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 51% 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: $69.0 in Bucharest vs $68.0 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $235, with Bucharest 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 Drobeta-Turnu Severin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Drobeta-Turnu Severin differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $1,057 including rent). Drobeta-Turnu Severin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 51% 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: $662 in Bucharest versus $381 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,362 per month in Bucharest versus $1,057 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin – a 29% 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 $1,057 in Drobeta-Turnu Severin versus $1,362 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 29% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.