Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Kalisz

For one person, living is cheaper in Kalisz: $1,136 a month against $1,340 in Bucharest, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Kalisz
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Kalisz Living Index

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Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,340

/mo nomad

Kalisz

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,136

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bucharest and in Kalisz

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bucharest and in Kalisz actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,340 in Bucharest versus $1,136 in Kalisz.

Bucharest $1,340
Kalisz $1,136

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Bucharest versus $1,596 in Kalisz.

Bucharest $2,037
Kalisz $1,596

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,734 in Bucharest versus $2,056 in Kalisz.

Bucharest $2,734
Kalisz $2,056

Living in Bucharest is roughly 18% more expensive than in Kalisz, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bucharest 1% lower, Kalisz 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.49 RON 68.6

$8.73 zł 33.92

65.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 275

$30.31 zł 118

91.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 RON 35.40

$8.87 zł 34.47

-15.67%

Cappuccino

$3.44 RON 16.29

$3.08 zł 11.96

11.69%

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

$2.37 RON 11.22

$2.00 zł 7.76

18.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.88

$1.63 zł 6.33

41.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 RON 17.51

$2.49 zł 9.68

48.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 RON 19.69

$2.59 zł 10.07

60.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.90

$0.92 zł 3.59

81.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 RON 6.50

$1.21 zł 4.71

13.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 RON 8.14

$1.62 zł 6.29

6.17%

Eggs

$3.64 RON 17.22

$2.95 zł 11.44

23.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 RON 42.98

$7.96 zł 30.91

14.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 RON 32.35

$4.34 zł 16.87

57.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 RON 56.8

$9.22 zł 35.82

30.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.80

$1.07 zł 4.15

14.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.73

$1.60 zł 6.22

1.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.45

$1.57 zł 6.12

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 RON 12.01

$3.10 zł 12.03

-18.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.75

$0.79 zł 3.06

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.66

$1.01 zł 3.92

-23.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 4.13

$1.30 zł 5.05

-33.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 RON 4.70

$0.55 zł 2.16

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.31 RON 29.86

$4.68 zł 18.18

34.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.20 RON 29.34

$6.98 zł 27.14

-11.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 RON 5.63

$0.87 zł 3.39

36.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 RON 7.45

$1.39 zł 5.40

12.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 4.08

$1.04 zł 4.04

-17.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.10 RON 99.8

$34.99 zł 136

-39.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 3.05

$2.00 zł 7.75

-68.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.86

$1.05 zł 4.08

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 RON 30.43

$6.51 zł 25.30

-1.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 RON 9.25

$1.57 zł 6.11

24.84%

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

$29.0K RON 137.2K

$30.5K zł 118.5K

-4.90%

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

$26.6K RON 126.0K

$27.4K zł 106.5K

-2.82%

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

$196 RON 927

$186 zł 724

5.07%

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

$8.04 RON 38.04

$10.06 zł 39.08

-20.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.35 RON 44.21

$16.83 zł 65.4

-44.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 RON 238

$31.87 zł 124

57.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.33 RON 120

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 RON 38.55

$6.46 zł 25.11

26.16%

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

$628 RON 2,971

$248 zł 964

153.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K RON 66.6K

$5,003 zł 19.4K

181.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.6 RON 424

$83.4 zł 324

7.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 RON 181

$25.41 zł 98.7

50.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 RON 375

$79.2 zł 308

0.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 RON 428

$88.5 zł 344

2.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 RON 3,209

$445 zł 1,730

52.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,121

$354 zł 1,376

26.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 RON 5,125

$538 zł 2,092

101.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 RON 3,430

$457 zł 1,774

58.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,751 RON 17.7K

$1,968 zł 7,648

90.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,195 RON 10.4K

$1,462 zł 5,679

50.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,329 RON 6,290

$1,190 zł 4,622

11.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

6.21

8.70%

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

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kalisz: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bucharest

$448 33.5%

Kalisz

$354 31.2% 21% $94

Eating Out

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Kalisz

$166 14.6% 26.5% $60

Groceries & Markets

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Kalisz

$187 16.5% 16.9% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bucharest

$213 15.9%

Kalisz

$213 18.8% 0% $0.1

Clothing & Footwear

Bucharest

$134 10%

Kalisz

$124 11% 7.1% $9.5

Sport & Entertainment

Bucharest

$67 5%

Kalisz

$45 3.9% 32.7% $22

Getting Around

Bucharest

$28 2.1%

Kalisz

$46 4.1% 64.5% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $678 in Bucharest and $445 in Kalisz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 12% 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: $58.0 in Bucharest vs $30.00 in Kalisz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $187 per month, with Kalisz cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🇵🇱 Kalisz

🕒 Local time

06:20 6:20 AM

05:20 5:20 AM

1 h behind Bucharest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,883,425 Capital

103,997

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

Polish Złoty PLN zł

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

1 PLN = 0.257 USD

1 PLN = 0.229 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇴 Romanian Leu (lei)

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

USD to RON in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bucharest Kalisz 1,010 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Bucharest
Kalisz

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kalisz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Kalisz differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,340 vs $1,136 including rent). Kalisz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% 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: $678 in Bucharest versus $445 in Kalisz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,340 per month in Bucharest versus $1,136 in Kalisz – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kalisz runs roughly 66% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,136 in Kalisz versus $1,340 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kalisz but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Kalisz 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 Kalisz 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 Kalisz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.