Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Galati Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Galati

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,131 in Galati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,708 in Galati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $2,285 in Galati.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 18% more expensive than Galati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Galati is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$11.64 RON 52.6

16.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$45.31 RON 205

50.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$8.10 RON 36.60

-0.62%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$2.62 RON 11.84

29.77%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$2.19 RON 9.90

5.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$1.89 RON 8.54

25.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$2.26 RON 10.23

56.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$3.30 RON 14.91

21.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.34 RON 6.04

29.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$0.82 RON 3.69

73.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.94 RON 8.76

-0.52%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$3.62 RON 16.35

-2.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$8.60 RON 38.87

7.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$6.44 RON 29.11

10.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$9.15 RON 41.37

34.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$1.26 RON 5.68

7.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.68 RON 7.57

3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.66 RON 7.50

6.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$1.85 RON 8.35

29.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$1.02 RON 4.59

2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$1.14 RON 5.16

-15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.94 RON 4.23

-2.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.78 RON 3.52

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$5.83 RON 26.35

9.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$5.45 RON 24.65

18.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$0.94 RON 4.23

29.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.30 RON 5.89

52.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.60 RON 2.73

93.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$27.10 RON 123

-28.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.69 RON 3.12

4.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

$0.62 RON 2.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$7.45 RON 33.68

-6.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.53 RON 6.94

11.76%

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

$29.0K RON 131.0K

$28.5K RON 128.9K

1.66%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$26.5K RON 119.8K

14.28%

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

$178 RON 803

$165 RON 747

7.58%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$8.46 RON 38.25

8.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$8.49 RON 38.36

30.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$33.83 RON 153

61.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$39.08 RON 177

-25.69%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$6.72 RON 30.37

37.95%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$647 RON 2,923

4.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$5,374 RON 24.3K

176.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$103 RON 465

-22.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$35.15 RON 159

28.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$62.9 RON 284

41.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$95.7 RON 433

13.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$426 RON 1,928

55.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$341 RON 1,539

26.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$619 RON 2,796

119.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$542 RON 2,449

55.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$1,678 RON 7,584

129.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$1,278 RON 5,779

80.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

$958 RON 4,330

52.76%

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 Galati: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $426 in Galati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 53% 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 $45.00 in Galati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $198 per month, with Galati 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 Galati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Galati differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $1,131 including rent). Galati is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 53% 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 $426 in Galati. 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 $1,131 in Galati – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Galati runs roughly 39% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,131 in Galati versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Galati but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Galati 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 Galati 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 Galati gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.