Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Iernut Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Iernut

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,362 in Bucharest versus $1,012 in Iernut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,133 in Bucharest versus $1,519 in Iernut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Bucharest versus $2,026 in Iernut.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 35% more expensive than in Iernut, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Iernut is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 RON 64.6

$8.46 RON 38.81

66.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 RON 316

$39.82 RON 183

72.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 37.04

$7.83 RON 35.89

3.19%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.55

$2.30 RON 10.57

47.39%

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

$2.24 RON 10.28

$1.33 RON 6.09

68.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.09

$1.12 RON 5.13

116.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.52

$2.27 RON 10.42

48.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 RON 17.57

$2.71 RON 12.43

41.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.88

$1.50 RON 6.86

14.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$1.18 RON 5.39

14.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.41

$1.63 RON 7.46

12.27%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.72

$2.94 RON 13.47

24.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 RON 42.31

$8.41 RON 38.57

9.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.43

$7.11 RON 32.59

-3.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 RON 55.2

$11.93 RON 54.7

0.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.15

$1.02 RON 4.67

31.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.35 RON 6.21

27.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$1.49 RON 6.82

22.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.97

$1.92 RON 8.81

24.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$0.94 RON 4.29

10.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.67

$0.93 RON 4.25

9.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.49

$0.80 RON 3.69

22.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.80 RON 3.66

18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 RON 29.33

$5.96 RON 27.31

7.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 RON 29.81

$7.70 RON 35.29

-15.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.68

$1.07 RON 4.91

15.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.86

$1.70 RON 7.80

13.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 RON 5.21

$0.72 RON 3.28

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.82 RON 90.9

$19.66 RON 90.2

0.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.27

$0.73 RON 3.33

-2.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.99

$0.74 RON 3.41

-12.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$7.06 RON 32.38

-1.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.59

$1.58 RON 7.26

5.06%

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

$29.0K RON 132.8K

$28.0K RON 128.5K

3.35%

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

$30.1K RON 137.9K

$27.4K RON 125.8K

9.64%

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

$183 RON 841

$166 RON 763

10.31%

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

$8.95 RON 41.05

$8.28 RON 37.99

8.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 51.0

$9.26 RON 42.46

20.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 RON 249

$41.27 RON 189

31.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 RON 135

$19.44 RON 89.2

51.70%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 RON 41.88

$5.91 RON 27.11

54.48%

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

$676 RON 3,102

$451 RON 2,067

50.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 65.7K

$6,664 RON 30.6K

114.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 RON 372

$66.2 RON 303

22.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 RON 204

$32.47 RON 149

36.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 RON 412

$74.9 RON 343

19.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 496

$79.8 RON 366

35.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 3,036

$382 RON 1,754

73.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 2,021

$295 RON 1,351

49.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 6,202

$585 RON 2,684

131.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 RON 3,892

$435 RON 1,993

95.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,777 RON 17.3K

$1,762 RON 8,082

114.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 RON 10.2K

$1,593 RON 7,306

40.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,457

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

7.7

-7.79%

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

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Last update for Iernut: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $382 in Iernut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Bucharest vs $40.00 in Iernut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $212 per month, with Iernut 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 Iernut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Iernut differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $1,012 including rent). Iernut is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,044 in Bucharest and $1,519 in Iernut to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $662 in Bucharest versus $382 in Iernut. 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 $1,012 in Iernut – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Iernut runs roughly 1% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,012 in Iernut versus $1,362 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Iernut but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Iernut 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 Iernut gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.