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: $1,362 in Bucharest versus $1,103 in Galati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,133 in Bucharest versus $1,715 in Galati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Bucharest versus $2,327 in Galati.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 23% more expensive than in Galati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Galati is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 RON 64.6

$11.57 RON 53.1

21.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 RON 316

$46.52 RON 213

47.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 37.04

$8.08 RON 37.06

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.55

$2.73 RON 12.53

24.18%

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

$2.24 RON 10.28

$2.18 RON 10.00

2.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.09

$1.92 RON 8.80

26.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.52

$2.24 RON 10.29

50.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 RON 17.57

$3.36 RON 15.40

13.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.88

$1.34 RON 6.15

28.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$0.83 RON 3.82

62.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.41

$1.85 RON 8.47

-1.08%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.72

$3.70 RON 16.97

-1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 RON 42.31

$8.21 RON 37.64

12.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.43

$6.14 RON 28.14

11.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 RON 55.2

$9.33 RON 42.79

28.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.15

$1.24 RON 5.70

8.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.71 RON 7.85

0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$1.67 RON 7.65

8.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.97

$1.85 RON 8.49

29.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$1.03 RON 4.72

0.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.67

$1.16 RON 5.33

-12.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.49

$0.94 RON 4.30

4.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.78 RON 3.60

21.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 RON 29.33

$5.79 RON 26.58

10.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 RON 29.81

$5.57 RON 25.53

16.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.68

$0.93 RON 4.28

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.86

$1.30 RON 5.97

48.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 RON 5.21

$0.56 RON 2.58

103.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.82 RON 90.9

$26.24 RON 120

-24.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.27

$0.74 RON 3.39

-4.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.99

$0.65 RON 2.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$7.58 RON 34.78

-8.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.59

$1.59 RON 7.27

4.40%

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

$29.0K RON 132.8K

$28.4K RON 130.1K

2.05%

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

$30.1K RON 137.9K

$26.7K RON 122.4K

12.70%

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

$183 RON 841

$165 RON 755

11.43%

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

$8.95 RON 41.05

$8.58 RON 39.33

4.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 51.0

$8.49 RON 38.93

30.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 RON 249

$34.19 RON 157

59.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 RON 135

$38.82 RON 178

-24.03%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 RON 41.88

$6.80 RON 31.19

34.26%

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

$676 RON 3,102

$664 RON 3,044

1.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 65.7K

$5,339 RON 24.5K

168.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 RON 372

$102 RON 469

-20.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 RON 204

$34.57 RON 159

28.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 RON 412

$62.7 RON 287

43.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 496

$98.8 RON 453

9.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 3,036

$429 RON 1,966

54.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 2,021

$348 RON 1,595

26.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 6,202

$641 RON 2,939

111.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 RON 3,892

$530 RON 2,429

60.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,777 RON 17.3K

$1,634 RON 7,494

131.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 RON 10.2K

$1,265 RON 5,802

76.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,457

$1,003 RON 4,599

40.42%

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 Galati: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $429 in Galati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 40% 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 $47.00 in Galati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $197 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 23% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $1,103 including rent). Galati is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 40% 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 $429 in Galati. 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 $1,103 in Galati – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Galati runs roughly 32% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,103 in Galati versus $1,362 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 23% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.