Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Focsani Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Focsani

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $948 in Focsani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,443 in Focsani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $1,938 in Focsani.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 41% more expensive than Focsani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Focsani is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$7.93 RON 35.86

71.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$45.93 RON 208

48.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$5.85 RON 26.44

37.61%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$1.89 RON 8.53

79.89%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$1.59 RON 7.21

45.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$1.41 RON 6.39

68.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$1.79 RON 8.08

97.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$2.83 RON 12.79

41.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.49 RON 6.75

16.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$0.82 RON 3.72

73.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.81 RON 8.20

6.63%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$2.88 RON 13.02

22.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$8.73 RON 39.48

6.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$7.14 RON 32.26

-0.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$12.21 RON 55.2

0.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$1.02 RON 4.60

32.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.41 RON 6.36

23.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.36 RON 6.13

29.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$2.33 RON 10.53

3.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$0.66 RON 2.99

59.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.61 RON 2.74

50.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.83 RON 3.77

9.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$5.97 RON 26.98

6.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$4.39 RON 19.85

46.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.10 RON 4.98

10.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.17 RON 5.29

69.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.56 RON 2.54

107.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$14.27 RON 64.5

36.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.78 RON 3.51

-7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

$0.76 RON 3.44

-18.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$6.74 RON 30.46

2.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.56 RON 7.06

9.62%

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

$29.0K RON 131.0K

$27.9K RON 126.2K

3.82%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$27.6K RON 124.5K

9.96%

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

$178 RON 803

$166 RON 750

7.05%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$8.15 RON 36.82

12.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$9.23 RON 41.73

20.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$17.32 RON 78.3

215.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$19.35 RON 87.5

50.08%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$11.09 RON 50.1

-16.41%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$414 RON 1,870

63.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$6,687 RON 30.2K

122.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$68.2 RON 308

16.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$43.20 RON 195

4.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$56.8 RON 257

56.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$71.2 RON 322

53.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$347 RON 1,569

90.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$278 RON 1,257

55.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$598 RON 2,705

126.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$438 RON 1,979

92.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$1,124 RON 5,081

243.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$909 RON 4,107

153.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

$718 RON 3,246

103.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.5

9.23%

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

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Last update for Focsani: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $347 in Focsani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 104% 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 $46.00 in Focsani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $204 per month, with Focsani 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 Focsani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Focsani differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $948 including rent). Focsani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 104% 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 $347 in Focsani. 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 $948 in Focsani – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Focsani runs roughly 37% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $948 in Focsani versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Focsani but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Focsani 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.

Expats usually find Focsani gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.