Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Kartuzy

For one person, living is cheaper in Bucharest: $1,340 a month against $1,423 in Kartuzy, rent and utilities included – about $1,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Kartuzy outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index
69

Cost of Living Index in Kartuzy
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Kartuzy Living Index

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Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,340

/mo nomad

Kartuzy

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,423

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bucharest and in Kartuzy

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 Kartuzy actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,340 in Bucharest versus $1,423 in Kartuzy.

Bucharest $1,340
Kartuzy $1,423

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Bucharest versus $2,043 in Kartuzy.

Bucharest $2,037
Kartuzy $2,043

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,734 in Bucharest versus $2,663 in Kartuzy.

Bucharest $2,734
Kartuzy $2,663

Living in Bucharest costs roughly 6% less than in Kartuzy, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 1% below, Kartuzy is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.49 RON 68.6

$8.06 zł 31.30

79.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 275

$41.46 zł 161

40.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 RON 35.40

$8.99 zł 34.91

-16.80%

Cappuccino

$3.44 RON 16.29

$3.35 zł 13.03

2.69%

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

$2.37 RON 11.22

$2.13 zł 8.29

11.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.88

$1.59 zł 6.18

44.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 RON 17.51

$3.63 zł 14.09

1.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 RON 19.69

$3.77 zł 14.66

10.34%

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 4.69

13.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 RON 8.14

$1.13 zł 4.41

52.21%

Eggs

$3.64 RON 17.22

$3.34 zł 12.97

8.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 RON 42.98

$8.10 zł 31.47

12.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 RON 32.35

$6.83 zł 26.54

0.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 RON 56.8

$10.96 zł 42.57

9.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.80

$1.12 zł 4.35

9.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.73

$1.65 zł 6.43

-1.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.45

$1.45 zł 5.65

8.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 RON 12.01

$2.63 zł 10.22

-3.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.75

$0.83 zł 3.23

-4.82%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.66

$1.03 zł 4.02

-25.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 4.13

$1.37 zł 5.30

-36.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 RON 4.70

$0.68 zł 2.64

45.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.31 RON 29.86

$4.56 zł 17.71

38.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.20 RON 29.34

$6.67 zł 25.91

-7.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 RON 5.63

$1.13 zł 4.40

5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 RON 7.45

$1.57 zł 6.11

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 4.08

$1.10 zł 4.28

-21.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.10 RON 99.8

$26.96 zł 105

-21.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 3.05

$2.33 zł 9.05

-72.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.86

$0.74 zł 2.89

-18.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 RON 30.43

$9.94 zł 38.61

-35.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 RON 9.25

$1.64 zł 6.38

19.51%

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

$29.0K RON 137.2K

$26.8K zł 104.3K

8.06%

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

$26.6K RON 126.0K

$29.9K zł 116.3K

-10.98%

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

$196 RON 927

$271 zł 1,052

-27.63%

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

$8.04 RON 38.04

$8.82 zł 34.25

-8.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.35 RON 44.21

$17.21 zł 66.9

-45.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 RON 238

$38.82 zł 151

29.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.33 RON 120

$24.96 zł 97.0

1.48%

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 RON 38.55

$7.11 zł 27.62

14.63%

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

$628 RON 2,971

$362 zł 1,407

73.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K RON 66.6K

$6,810 zł 26.5K

106.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.6 RON 424

$93.2 zł 362

-3.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 RON 181

$40.83 zł 159

-6.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 RON 375

$95.0 zł 369

-16.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 RON 428

$90.3 zł 351

0.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 RON 3,209

$607 zł 2,360

11.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,121

$514 zł 1,998

-12.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 RON 5,125

$995 zł 3,868

8.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 RON 3,430

$804 zł 3,124

-9.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,751 RON 17.7K

$2,891 zł 11.2K

29.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,195 RON 10.4K

$2,217 zł 8,615

-1.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,329 RON 6,290

$1,269 zł 4,930

4.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

6.68

1.05%

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

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kartuzy: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bucharest

$448 33.5%

Kartuzy

$514 36.1% 14.7% $66

Eating Out

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Kartuzy

$172 12.1% 23.5% $53

Groceries & Markets

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Kartuzy

$205 14.4% 8.8% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bucharest

$213 15.9%

Kartuzy

$297 20.9% 39.1% $83

Clothing & Footwear

Bucharest

$134 10%

Kartuzy

$144 10.1% 7.3% $9.8

Sport & Entertainment

Bucharest

$67 5%

Kartuzy

$53 3.7% 20.3% $13

Getting Around

Bucharest

$28 2.1%

Kartuzy

$37 2.6% 32.6% $9.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $678 in Bucharest and $607 in Kartuzy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $58.0 in Bucharest vs $41.00 in Kartuzy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $205 per month, with Kartuzy cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🇵🇱 Kartuzy

🕒 Local time

03:35 3:35 AM

02:35 2:35 AM

1 h behind Bucharest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,883,425 Capital

14,186

💱 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 20, 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 20, 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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Bucharest Kartuzy 1,240 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Bucharest
Kartuzy

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 Kartuzy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Kartuzy differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,340 vs $1,423 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 5% 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 $607 in Kartuzy. 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 $1,423 in Kartuzy – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 28% less than in Kartuzy. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,340 in Bucharest versus $1,423 in Kartuzy, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Kartuzy. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest 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 Kartuzy 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 Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Kartuzy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.