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: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,033 in Iernut.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,531 in Iernut.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $2,029 in Iernut.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Iernut is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$8.37 RON 37.84

62.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$40.27 RON 182

69.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$8.24 RON 37.23

-2.31%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$2.30 RON 10.41

47.83%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$1.33 RON 5.99

74.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$1.14 RON 5.15

108.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$2.31 RON 10.45

53.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$2.81 RON 12.70

42.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.55 RON 7.01

12.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$1.22 RON 5.54

16.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.60 RON 7.22

20.62%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$3.06 RON 13.84

15.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$8.46 RON 38.25

9.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$7.01 RON 31.70

1.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$12.12 RON 54.8

1.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$1.03 RON 4.65

31.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.31 RON 5.94

32.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.52 RON 6.89

15.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$1.94 RON 8.76

23.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$0.88 RON 3.97

19.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$0.86 RON 3.90

11.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.79 RON 3.56

16.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.80 RON 3.62

13.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$5.81 RON 26.25

9.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$7.87 RON 35.57

-18.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.09 RON 4.92

11.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.68 RON 7.60

17.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.70 RON 3.17

65.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$19.48 RON 88.1

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.77 RON 3.48

-6.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

$0.75 RON 3.40

-17.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$6.74 RON 30.47

2.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.61 RON 7.27

6.21%

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

$29.0K RON 131.0K

$27.6K RON 124.8K

4.98%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$28.3K RON 127.9K

7.05%

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

$178 RON 803

$167 RON 753

6.62%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$8.31 RON 37.57

10.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$9.18 RON 41.50

21.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$42.12 RON 190

29.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$19.50 RON 88.1

48.92%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$5.86 RON 26.50

58.19%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$449 RON 2,028

50.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$6,609 RON 29.9K

124.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$65.9 RON 298

21.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$32.16 RON 145

40.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$73.6 RON 332

21.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$81.8 RON 370

33.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$384 RON 1,735

72.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$293 RON 1,326

47.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$580 RON 2,624

133.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$435 RON 1,965

93.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$1,694 RON 7,657

127.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$1,579 RON 7,138

45.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Iernut: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $384 in Iernut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Bucharest vs $40.00 in Iernut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $214 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 29% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $1,033 including rent). Iernut is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,004 in Bucharest and $1,549 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 $384 in Iernut. 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 $1,033 in Iernut – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Iernut runs roughly 0% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,033 in Iernut versus $1,336 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 29% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.