Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Eskilstuna

For one person, living is cheaper in Bucharest: $1,340 a month against $1,748 in Eskilstuna, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index
85

Cost of Living Index in Eskilstuna
Learn more

Eskilstuna Living Index

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Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,340

/mo nomad

Eskilstuna

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,748

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bucharest and in Eskilstuna

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bucharest and in Eskilstuna actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,340 in Bucharest versus $1,748 in Eskilstuna.

Bucharest $1,340
Eskilstuna $1,748

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Bucharest versus $2,674 in Eskilstuna.

Bucharest $2,037
Eskilstuna $2,674

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,734 in Bucharest versus $3,600 in Eskilstuna.

Bucharest $2,734
Eskilstuna $3,600

Living in Bucharest costs roughly 23% less than in Eskilstuna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 1% below, Eskilstuna is 30% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.49 RON 68.6

$13.55 SEK 134

6.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 275

$63.9 SEK 633

-9.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 RON 35.40

$10.22 SEK 101

-26.81%

Cappuccino

$3.44 RON 16.29

$4.29 SEK 42.52

-19.81%

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

$2.37 RON 11.22

$2.58 SEK 25.55

-8.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.88

$2.21 SEK 21.94

4.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 RON 17.51

$4.90 SEK 48.55

-24.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 RON 19.69

$5.00 SEK 49.54

-16.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.90

$1.43 SEK 14.20

16.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 RON 6.50

$3.15 SEK 31.18

-56.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 RON 8.14

$3.41 SEK 33.81

-49.56%

Eggs

$3.64 RON 17.22

$3.93 SEK 38.94

-7.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 RON 42.98

$13.32 SEK 132

-31.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 RON 32.35

$12.27 SEK 122

-44.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 RON 56.8

$12.74 SEK 126

-5.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.80

$3.23 SEK 32.01

-61.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.73

$2.68 SEK 26.55

-39.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.45

$2.53 SEK 25.11

-37.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 RON 12.01

$3.72 SEK 36.88

-31.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.75

$1.41 SEK 13.96

-43.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.66

$1.79 SEK 17.72

-56.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 4.13

$3.05 SEK 30.24

-71.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 RON 4.70

$1.72 SEK 17.07

-42.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.31 RON 29.86

$6.88 SEK 68.2

-8.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.20 RON 29.34

$7.80 SEK 77.2

-20.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 RON 5.63

$1.96 SEK 19.42

-39.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 RON 7.45

$2.20 SEK 21.82

-28.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 4.08

$3.23 SEK 32.02

-73.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.10 RON 99.8

$66.9 SEK 663

-68.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 3.05

$12.72 SEK 126

-94.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.86

$2.05 SEK 20.27

-70.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 RON 30.43

$78.2 SEK 775

-91.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 RON 9.25

$1.73 SEK 17.16

13.29%

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

$29.0K RON 137.2K

$31.4K SEK 311.5K

-7.76%

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

$26.6K RON 126.0K

$32.5K SEK 321.7K

-17.96%

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

$196 RON 927

$177 SEK 1,751

10.85%

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

$8.04 RON 38.04

$28.43 SEK 282

-71.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.35 RON 44.21

$38.00 SEK 377

-75.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 RON 238

$24.49 SEK 243

105.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.33 RON 120

$25.82 SEK 256

-1.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 RON 38.55

$10.84 SEK 107

-24.82%

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

$628 RON 2,971

$148 SEK 1,468

323.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K RON 66.6K

$5,008 SEK 49.6K

181.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.6 RON 424

$98.2 SEK 973

-8.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 RON 181

$29.44 SEK 292

30.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 RON 375

$89.7 SEK 889

-11.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 RON 428

$148 SEK 1,465

-38.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 RON 3,209

$791 SEK 7,840

-14.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,121

$602 SEK 5,961

-25.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 RON 5,125

$1,150 SEK 11.4K

-5.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 RON 3,430

$1,029 SEK 10.2K

-29.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,751 RON 17.7K

$4,052 SEK 40.2K

-7.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,195 RON 10.4K

$2,775 SEK 27.5K

-20.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,329 RON 6,290

$4,169 SEK 41.3K

-68.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

2.8

141.07%

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

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Last update for Eskilstuna: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bucharest

$448 33.5%

Eskilstuna

$602 34.4% 34.2% $153

Eating Out

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Eskilstuna

$244 14% 8.4% $19

Groceries & Markets

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Eskilstuna

$346 19.8% 53.8% $121

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bucharest

$213 15.9%

Eskilstuna

$243 13.9% 14% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Bucharest

$134 10%

Eskilstuna

$164 9.4% 22.7% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Bucharest

$67 5%

Eskilstuna

$46 2.6% 30.6% $20

Getting Around

Bucharest

$28 2.1%

Eskilstuna

$103 5.9% 264% $75

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $678 in Bucharest and $791 in Eskilstuna. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Eskilstuna pays 214% 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: $58.0 in Bucharest vs $64.0 in Eskilstuna for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $346 per month, with Bucharest cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🇸🇪 Eskilstuna

🕒 Local time

10:40 10:40 AM

09:40 9:40 AM

1 h behind Bucharest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,883,425 Capital

67,359

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

Swedish Krona SEK kr

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SEK, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇴 Romanian Leu (lei)

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

USD to RON in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Bucharest Eskilstuna 1,780 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Bucharest
Eskilstuna

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Eskilstuna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Eskilstuna differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,340 vs $1,748 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 214% lower in Eskilstuna. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $678 in Bucharest versus $791 in Eskilstuna. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,340 per month in Bucharest versus $1,748 in Eskilstuna – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 217% less than in Eskilstuna. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,340 in Bucharest versus $1,748 in Eskilstuna, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Eskilstuna. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest 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 Eskilstuna 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 Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Eskilstuna. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.