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: $1,434 in Bucharest versus $1,087 in Focsani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,168 in Bucharest versus $1,738 in Focsani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,901 in Bucharest versus $2,389 in Focsani.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 32% more expensive than in Focsani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 4% above, Focsani is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.25 RON 64.6

$7.86 RON 35.61

81.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 RON 274

$43.99 RON 199

37.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 RON 34.09

$7.79 RON 35.29

-3.34%

Cappuccino

$3.72 RON 16.85

$1.96 RON 8.89

89.80%

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

$2.41 RON 10.92

$1.74 RON 7.88

38.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 RON 10.29

$1.37 RON 6.19

65.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.09 RON 18.51

$1.81 RON 8.19

125.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 RON 19.58

$2.64 RON 11.95

63.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.06

$1.77 RON 8.04

0.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 RON 6.65

$1.20 RON 5.45

22.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.20

$1.36 RON 6.16

33.09%

Eggs

$3.82 RON 17.29

$3.27 RON 14.82

16.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 RON 42.97

$9.60 RON 43.49

-1.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 RON 31.48

$7.20 RON 32.62

-3.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 RON 57.0

$11.28 RON 51.1

11.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.01

$1.23 RON 5.57

8.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.45

$1.71 RON 7.73

-3.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.28

$1.54 RON 6.99

4.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 RON 12.18

$2.29 RON 10.38

17.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.99

$0.81 RON 3.67

8.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.44

$0.82 RON 3.70

-7.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 RON 3.91

$0.66 RON 2.99

30.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 RON 4.44

$0.79 RON 3.56

24.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.92 RON 31.34

$5.99 RON 27.11

15.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 RON 30.66

$4.36 RON 19.73

55.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.83

$1.16 RON 5.25

11.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.84

$1.53 RON 6.93

13.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$0.87 RON 3.93

-2.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.35 RON 101

$16.66 RON 75.5

34.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 RON 2.94

$0.68 RON 3.07

-4.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.11

$0.68 RON 3.07

1.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.84 RON 30.96

$6.66 RON 30.18

2.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 RON 9.21

$1.74 RON 7.88

16.67%

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

$29.4K RON 133.2K

$26.2K RON 118.6K

12.33%

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

$27.6K RON 124.8K

$25.7K RON 116.2K

7.42%

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

$198 RON 896

$176 RON 799

12.19%

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

$8.71 RON 39.47

$8.68 RON 39.32

0.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.07 RON 45.61

$10.20 RON 46.18

-1.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 RON 248

$29.03 RON 131

88.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.74 RON 117

$38.92 RON 176

-33.86%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 RON 39.58

$8.92 RON 40.38

-2.02%

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

$648 RON 2,934

$335 RON 1,519

93.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K RON 68.7K

$14.9K RON 67.5K

1.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 RON 433

$95.6 RON 433

0.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 RON 183

$40.91 RON 185

-1.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 RON 368

$81.6 RON 369

-0.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 458

$102 RON 462

-0.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 RON 3,181

$394 RON 1,784

78.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 RON 2,205

$313 RON 1,416

55.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 RON 5,179

$978 RON 4,431

16.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 RON 3,416

$689 RON 3,120

9.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 RON 18.3K

$1,130 RON 5,117

256.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 RON 10.6K

$918 RON 4,159

153.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,535 RON 6,953

$735 RON 3,330

108.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 6, 2026

Last update for Focsani: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $702 in Bucharest and $394 in Focsani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 109% 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 $44.00 in Focsani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $215 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 32% in total monthly costs ($1,434 vs $1,087 including rent). Focsani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 109% 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 $394 in Focsani. 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 $1,087 in Focsani – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Focsani runs roughly 34% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,087 in Focsani versus $1,434 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 32% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.