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: $1,397 in Bucharest versus $1,086 in Galati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,105 in Bucharest versus $1,696 in Galati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,814 in Bucharest versus $2,307 in Galati.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 29% more expensive than in Galati, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Galati is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.50 RON 71.1

$10.77 RON 49.43

43.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 RON 275

$43.88 RON 201

36.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 RON 34.58

$7.51 RON 34.45

0.40%

Cappuccino

$3.72 RON 17.07

$2.65 RON 12.17

40.38%

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

$2.36 RON 10.82

$2.17 RON 9.97

8.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.55

$1.98 RON 9.09

16.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 RON 18.26

$2.25 RON 10.33

76.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 RON 20.70

$3.22 RON 14.78

40.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 RON 8.33

$1.30 RON 5.95

40.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 RON 6.62

$0.69 RON 3.15

108.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.36

$1.78 RON 8.18

2.25%

Eggs

$3.94 RON 18.08

$3.50 RON 16.06

12.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.47 RON 43.44

$7.89 RON 36.19

20.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 RON 32.36

$6.14 RON 28.15

14.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 RON 55.8

$8.73 RON 40.05

39.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.11

$1.36 RON 6.22

-2.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.68

$1.60 RON 7.36

4.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.51

$1.59 RON 7.31

3.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 RON 12.83

$1.85 RON 8.47

51.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.86

$0.96 RON 4.39

-12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.62

$1.09 RON 5.02

-27.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$0.86 RON 3.94

5.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.71 RON 3.25

40.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.00 RON 32.12

$6.05 RON 27.76

15.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 RON 29.54

$5.62 RON 25.78

14.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.70

$1.02 RON 4.69

21.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.99

$1.29 RON 5.93

34.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.93

$0.74 RON 3.39

16.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.97 RON 101

$25.56 RON 117

-14.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.91

$0.64 RON 2.95

-1.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.17

$0.73 RON 3.33

-5.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 RON 30.66

$7.08 RON 32.49

-5.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 RON 9.05

$1.71 RON 7.84

15.20%

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

$29.3K RON 134.6K

$29.5K RON 135.4K

-0.59%

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

$28.4K RON 130.4K

$26.3K RON 120.5K

8.23%

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

$192 RON 879

$155 RON 712

23.47%

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

$8.51 RON 39.03

$7.90 RON 36.25

7.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.09 RON 46.28

$8.38 RON 38.46

20.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 RON 244

$39.40 RON 181

34.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.78 RON 118

$36.34 RON 167

-29.06%

Cinema Ticket

$8.57 RON 39.30

$6.48 RON 29.71

32.25%

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

$664 RON 3,048

$612 RON 2,809

8.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K RON 69.3K

$5,233 RON 24.0K

188.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 RON 434

$99.4 RON 456

-4.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 RON 188

$33.22 RON 152

23.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 RON 378

$64.8 RON 297

27.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 RON 455

$87.6 RON 402

13.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 RON 3,283

$402 RON 1,846

77.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 RON 2,158

$328 RON 1,503

43.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 RON 5,273

$803 RON 3,686

43.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 RON 3,389

$584 RON 2,681

26.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,881 RON 17.8K

$1,671 RON 7,666

132.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,277 RON 10.4K

$1,280 RON 5,872

77.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,484 RON 6,809

$952 RON 4,370

55.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

7.2

-6.11%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 15, 2026

Last update for Galati: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Bucharest and $402 in Galati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 56% 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 Galati for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $189 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 29% in total monthly costs ($1,397 vs $1,086 including rent). Galati is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 56% 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: $716 in Bucharest versus $402 in Galati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,397 per month in Bucharest versus $1,086 in Galati – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Galati runs roughly 16% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,086 in Galati versus $1,397 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 29% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.