Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Krakow

For one person, living is cheaper in Bucharest: $1,340 a month against $1,815 in Krakow, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index
88

Cost of Living Index in Krakow
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Krakow Living Index

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Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,340

/mo nomad

Krakow

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,815

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bucharest and in Krakow

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,340 in Bucharest versus $1,815 in Krakow.

Bucharest $1,340
Krakow $1,815

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Bucharest versus $2,587 in Krakow.

Bucharest $2,037
Krakow $2,587

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,734 in Bucharest versus $3,359 in Krakow.

Bucharest $2,734
Krakow $3,359

Living in Bucharest costs roughly 26% less than in Krakow, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 1% below, Krakow is 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.49 RON 68.6

$11.83 zł 45.95

22.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 275

$50.5 zł 196

15.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 RON 35.40

$9.81 zł 38.12

-23.75%

Cappuccino

$3.44 RON 16.29

$4.22 zł 16.40

-18.48%

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

$2.37 RON 11.22

$2.59 zł 10.06

-8.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.88

$2.35 zł 9.12

-2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 RON 17.51

$4.63 zł 17.98

-20.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 RON 19.69

$4.72 zł 18.32

-11.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.90

$1.07 zł 4.14

56.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 RON 6.50

$1.50 zł 5.84

-8.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 RON 8.14

$1.76 zł 6.83

-2.27%

Eggs

$3.64 RON 17.22

$3.90 zł 15.13

-6.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 RON 42.98

$9.40 zł 36.53

-3.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 RON 32.35

$7.87 zł 30.57

-13.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 RON 56.8

$13.41 zł 52.1

-10.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.80

$1.34 zł 5.20

-8.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.73

$1.69 zł 6.56

-3.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.45

$1.80 zł 6.98

-12.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 RON 12.01

$3.07 zł 11.93

-17.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.75

$0.88 zł 3.40

-10.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.66

$1.02 zł 3.98

-24.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 4.13

$1.21 zł 4.70

-28.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 RON 4.70

$0.80 zł 3.12

23.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.31 RON 29.86

$6.24 zł 24.24

1.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.20 RON 29.34

$6.40 zł 24.86

-3.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 RON 5.63

$1.21 zł 4.70

-1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 RON 7.45

$1.67 zł 6.49

-5.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 4.08

$1.57 zł 6.10

-45.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.10 RON 99.8

$33.06 zł 128

-36.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 3.05

$2.22 zł 8.63

-71.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.86

$1.01 zł 3.91

-40.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 RON 30.43

$12.48 zł 48.51

-48.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 RON 9.25

$1.67 zł 6.49

17.37%

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

$29.0K RON 137.2K

$30.7K zł 119.3K

-5.57%

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

$26.6K RON 126.0K

$28.6K zł 111.2K

-6.94%

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

$196 RON 927

$325 zł 1,261

-39.65%

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

$8.04 RON 38.04

$8.70 zł 33.80

-7.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.35 RON 44.21

$17.84 zł 69.3

-47.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 RON 238

$45.16 zł 175

11.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.33 RON 120

$24.28 zł 94.3

4.32%

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 RON 38.55

$8.57 zł 33.29

-4.90%

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

$628 RON 2,971

$463 zł 1,799

35.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K RON 66.6K

$9,760 zł 37.9K

44.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.6 RON 424

$96.7 zł 376

-7.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 RON 181

$40.10 zł 156

-4.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 RON 375

$89.1 zł 346

-11.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 RON 428

$122 zł 473

-25.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 RON 3,209

$937 zł 3,642

-27.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,121

$735 zł 2,854

-38.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 RON 5,125

$1,477 zł 5,738

-26.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 RON 3,430

$1,147 zł 4,456

-36.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,751 RON 17.7K

$5,395 zł 21.0K

-30.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,195 RON 10.4K

$3,529 zł 13.7K

-37.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,329 RON 6,290

$1,894 zł 7,360

-29.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

6.62

1.96%

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

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Last update for Krakow: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bucharest

$448 33.5%

Krakow

$735 40.5% 63.8% $286

Eating Out

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Krakow

$227 12.5% 0.8% $1.8

Groceries & Markets

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Krakow

$237 13.1% 5.2% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bucharest

$213 15.9%

Krakow

$351 19.4% 64.6% $138

Clothing & Footwear

Bucharest

$134 10%

Krakow

$156 8.6% 16.8% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Bucharest

$67 5%

Krakow

$62 3.4% 6.4% $4.2

Getting Around

Bucharest

$28 2.1%

Krakow

$47 2.6% 65.2% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $678 in Bucharest and $937 in Krakow. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 42% 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 $50.0 in Krakow. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $237, with Bucharest cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🇵🇱 Krakow

🕒 Local time

11:28 11:28 AM

10:28 10:28 AM

1 h behind Bucharest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,883,425 Capital

806,201

💱 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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Between locations

Bucharest Krakow 780 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Bucharest
Krakow

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 Krakow: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Krakow differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,340 vs $1,815 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 42% 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: $678 in Bucharest versus $937 in Krakow. 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 $1,815 in Krakow – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 57% less than in Krakow. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,340 in Bucharest versus $1,815 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 35% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.