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: $1,362 in Bucharest versus $953 in Focsani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,133 in Bucharest versus $1,471 in Focsani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Bucharest versus $1,988 in Focsani.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 43% more expensive than in Focsani, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Focsani is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 RON 64.6

$8.24 RON 37.81

71.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 RON 316

$45.59 RON 209

50.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 37.04

$5.71 RON 26.21

41.51%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.55

$1.88 RON 8.64

80.32%

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

$2.24 RON 10.28

$1.59 RON 7.28

40.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.09

$1.42 RON 6.49

70.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.52

$1.82 RON 8.37

85.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 RON 17.57

$2.78 RON 12.76

37.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.88

$1.47 RON 6.75

17.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$0.79 RON 3.64

70.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.41

$1.82 RON 8.35

0.55%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.72

$2.87 RON 13.18

27.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 RON 42.31

$8.75 RON 40.11

5.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.43

$6.91 RON 31.69

-0.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 RON 55.2

$11.79 RON 54.1

2.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.15

$0.98 RON 4.51

36.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.35 RON 6.19

27.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$1.42 RON 6.50

28.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.97

$2.36 RON 10.81

1.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$0.66 RON 3.05

57.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.67

$0.90 RON 4.15

13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.49

$0.60 RON 2.73

63.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.84 RON 3.83

13.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 RON 29.33

$6.03 RON 27.65

6.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 RON 29.81

$4.25 RON 19.48

52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.68

$1.10 RON 5.05

12.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.86

$1.12 RON 5.12

72.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 RON 5.21

$0.61 RON 2.78

86.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.82 RON 90.9

$14.59 RON 66.9

35.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.27

$0.77 RON 3.52

-7.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.99

$0.76 RON 3.47

-14.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$6.81 RON 31.24

1.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.59

$1.55 RON 7.12

7.10%

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

$29.0K RON 132.8K

$28.4K RON 130.2K

1.94%

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

$30.1K RON 137.9K

$27.8K RON 127.5K

8.21%

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

$183 RON 841

$162 RON 745

12.97%

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

$8.95 RON 41.05

$7.97 RON 36.57

12.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 51.0

$8.85 RON 40.58

25.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 RON 249

$17.01 RON 78.0

219.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 RON 135

$19.21 RON 88.1

53.51%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 RON 41.88

$11.06 RON 50.7

-17.45%

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

$676 RON 3,102

$410 RON 1,881

64.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 65.7K

$6,606 RON 30.3K

116.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 RON 372

$67.7 RON 311

19.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 RON 204

$42.36 RON 194

4.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 RON 412

$57.0 RON 261

57.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 496

$69.0 RON 316

56.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 3,036

$347 RON 1,592

90.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 2,021

$277 RON 1,272

58.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 6,202

$582 RON 2,668

132.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 RON 3,892

$433 RON 1,986

95.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,777 RON 17.3K

$1,123 RON 5,151

236.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 RON 10.2K

$889 RON 4,075

151.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,457

$713 RON 3,272

97.35%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Focsani: July 13, 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 97% 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 $46.00 in Focsani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $201 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 43% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $953 including rent). Focsani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 97% 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 $347 in Focsani. 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 $953 in Focsani – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Focsani runs roughly 36% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $953 in Focsani versus $1,362 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 43% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.