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: $1,430 in Bucharest versus $963 in Iernut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,131 in Bucharest versus $1,481 in Iernut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Bucharest versus $1,999 in Iernut.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 49% more expensive than in Iernut, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 4% above, Iernut is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.63 RON 70.6

$9.09 RON 41.02

71.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 RON 281

$45.26 RON 204

37.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 RON 35.44

$7.75 RON 34.99

1.29%

Cappuccino

$3.63 RON 16.37

$2.32 RON 10.48

56.47%

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

$2.48 RON 11.18

$1.56 RON 7.04

58.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 RON 10.64

$1.31 RON 5.89

80.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 RON 17.70

$2.27 RON 10.27

72.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 RON 20.31

$2.41 RON 10.90

86.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 8.12

$1.45 RON 6.54

24.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.36

$1.19 RON 5.37

18.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.03

$1.49 RON 6.72

19.46%

Eggs

$3.88 RON 17.50

$3.12 RON 14.08

24.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 RON 43.40

$8.43 RON 38.06

14.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.16 RON 32.32

$6.12 RON 27.61

16.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 RON 55.3

$10.84 RON 48.94

13.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 RON 5.93

$1.05 RON 4.73

24.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.66

$1.33 RON 6.02

27.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.35

$1.48 RON 6.69

10.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 RON 12.54

$1.98 RON 8.96

40.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.76 RON 3.42

13.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 RON 3.36

$0.54 RON 2.42

37.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 RON 4.25

$0.87 RON 3.94

8.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 RON 4.40

$0.76 RON 3.43

27.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.87 RON 31.01

$6.25 RON 28.23

9.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.66 RON 30.05

$6.78 RON 30.60

-1.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 RON 5.67

$1.09 RON 4.90

15.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.81

$1.64 RON 7.40

5.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RON 4.86

$0.76 RON 3.41

42.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.84 RON 98.6

$22.58 RON 102

-3.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 2.88

$0.66 RON 2.98

-3.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 RON 3.08

$0.67 RON 3.00

1.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.46 RON 29.18

$6.78 RON 30.61

-4.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 RON 8.96

$1.84 RON 8.33

7.61%

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

$29.4K RON 132.6K

$29.8K RON 134.5K

-1.40%

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

$27.8K RON 125.7K

$27.6K RON 124.5K

0.91%

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

$204 RON 920

$106 RON 481

91.46%

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

$8.53 RON 38.52

$8.69 RON 39.25

-1.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 RON 44.56

$8.47 RON 38.22

16.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$40.39 RON 182

35.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.58 RON 115

$21.25 RON 95.9

20.38%

Cinema Ticket

$8.86 RON 40.00

$6.76 RON 30.53

31.07%

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

$663 RON 2,994

$453 RON 2,045

46.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K RON 69.0K

$7,385 RON 33.3K

106.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.2 RON 430

$52.2 RON 236

82.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.99 RON 185

$31.99 RON 144

28.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 RON 373

$79.4 RON 359

4.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 454

$81.5 RON 368

23.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 RON 3,204

$410 RON 1,851

73.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$490 RON 2,214

$306 RON 1,382

60.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 RON 5,101

$634 RON 2,863

78.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 RON 3,426

$467 RON 2,108

62.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,914 RON 17.7K

$1,983 RON 8,951

97.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,317 RON 10.5K

$1,400 RON 6,321

65.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,486 RON 6,708

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

7.2

-5.14%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 1, 2026

Last update for Iernut: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $710 in Bucharest and $410 in Iernut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $62.0 in Bucharest vs $45.00 in Iernut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $200 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 49% in total monthly costs ($1,430 vs $963 including rent). Iernut is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,144 in Bucharest and $1,444 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: $710 in Bucharest versus $410 in Iernut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,430 per month in Bucharest versus $963 in Iernut – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Iernut runs roughly 3% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $963 in Iernut versus $1,430 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 49% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.