Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Krakow Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Krakow

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,362 in Bucharest versus $1,773 in Krakow.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,133 in Bucharest versus $2,539 in Krakow.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Bucharest versus $3,305 in Krakow.

Living in Bucharest costs roughly 23% less than in Krakow, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bucharest 2% above, Krakow 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 RON 64.6

$10.91 zł 41.43

29.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 RON 316

$53.7 zł 204

28.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 37.04

$9.55 zł 36.25

-15.39%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.55

$3.98 zł 15.11

-14.82%

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

$2.24 RON 10.28

$2.21 zł 8.41

1.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.09

$2.26 zł 8.60

7.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.52

$4.16 zł 15.81

-18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 RON 17.57

$4.04 zł 15.35

-5.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.88

$1.16 zł 4.40

48.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$1.45 zł 5.51

-6.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.41

$1.46 zł 5.54

25.34%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.72

$3.61 zł 13.69

1.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 RON 42.31

$8.98 zł 34.11

2.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.43

$6.51 zł 24.71

5.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 RON 55.2

$11.52 zł 43.73

4.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.15

$1.25 zł 4.75

7.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.74 zł 6.62

-1.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$1.80 zł 6.84

1.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.97

$3.03 zł 11.51

-21.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$1.02 zł 3.87

1.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.67

$1.06 zł 4.01

-3.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.49

$1.30 zł 4.95

-24.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.71 zł 2.68

33.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 RON 29.33

$5.59 zł 21.21

14.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 RON 29.81

$6.44 zł 24.47

0.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.68

$1.23 zł 4.68

0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.86

$1.70 zł 6.45

13.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 RON 5.21

$1.11 zł 4.23

2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.82 RON 90.9

$39.41 zł 150

-49.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.27

$2.51 zł 9.54

-71.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.99

$0.99 zł 3.74

-34.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$13.03 zł 49.48

-46.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.59

$1.69 zł 6.43

-1.78%

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

$29.0K RON 132.8K

$33.1K zł 125.8K

-12.59%

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

$30.1K RON 137.9K

$32.5K zł 123.3K

-7.37%

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

$183 RON 841

$278 zł 1,057

-34.11%

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

$8.95 RON 41.05

$9.20 zł 34.93

-2.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 51.0

$16.58 zł 63.0

-32.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 RON 249

$38.22 zł 145

42.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 RON 135

$22.23 zł 84.4

32.66%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 RON 41.88

$8.05 zł 30.57

13.42%

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

$676 RON 3,102

$437 zł 1,658

54.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 65.7K

$12.9K zł 48.9K

11.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 RON 372

$76.7 zł 291

5.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 RON 204

$45.54 zł 173

-2.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 RON 412

$101 zł 384

-11.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 496

$113 zł 429

-4.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 3,036

$904 zł 3,433

-26.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 2,021

$757 zł 2,876

-41.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 6,202

$1,601 zł 6,079

-15.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 RON 3,892

$1,154 zł 4,383

-26.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,777 RON 17.3K

$5,725 zł 21.7K

-34.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 RON 10.2K

$3,721 zł 14.1K

-40.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,457

$1,883 zł 7,153

-25.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

7.77

-8.62%

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

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Last update for Krakow: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $904 in Krakow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 34% 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: $69.0 in Bucharest vs $54.0 in Krakow for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $221 per month, with Krakow 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 Krakow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Krakow differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $1,773 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 34% lower in Krakow. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $662 in Bucharest versus $904 in Krakow. 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 $1,773 in Krakow – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 99% less than in Krakow. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,362 in Bucharest versus $1,773 in Krakow, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Krakow. 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 Krakow 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 30% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.