Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Lugoj Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Lugoj

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $843 in Lugoj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,275 in Lugoj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $1,706 in Lugoj.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 58% more expensive than Lugoj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Lugoj is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$9.16 RON 41.41

48.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$27.51 RON 124

147.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$5.61 RON 25.35

43.49%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$1.13 RON 5.13

200.88%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$1.16 RON 5.25

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$0.96 RON 4.35

147.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$2.26 RON 10.22

56.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$1.59 RON 7.18

152.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.50 RON 6.78

16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$1.02 RON 4.60

39.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$0.71 RON 3.22

171.83%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$1.34 RON 6.08

164.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$3.60 RON 16.27

157.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$4.30 RON 19.43

65.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$4.60 RON 20.79

166.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$1.18 RON 5.31

14.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.40 RON 6.33

24.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.57 RON 7.11

12.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$0.70 RON 3.18

242.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$0.67 RON 3.05

56.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$0.72 RON 3.27

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.79 RON 3.59

16.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.70 RON 3.18

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$5.25 RON 23.75

21.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$4.36 RON 19.69

47.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.31 RON 5.91

-6.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.87 RON 8.47

5.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.67 RON 3.03

73.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$19.84 RON 89.7

-1.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.57 RON 2.56

26.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

$0.81 RON 3.68

-23.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$7.09 RON 32.05

-2.12%

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

$28.1K RON 127.2K

3.01%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$27.0K RON 121.9K

12.31%

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

$178 RON 803

$58.0 RON 262

206.52%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$8.35 RON 37.74

9.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$11.45 RON 51.8

-2.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$41.66 RON 188

31.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$19.02 RON 86.0

52.68%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$6.64 RON 30.03

39.61%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$443 RON 2,002

52.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$9,086 RON 41.1K

63.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$80.5 RON 364

-0.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$37.29 RON 169

21.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$77.9 RON 352

14.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$88.1 RON 398

23.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$384 RON 1,737

72.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$292 RON 1,321

47.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$580 RON 2,623

133.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$444 RON 2,009

89.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$1,992 RON 9,003

93.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$1,194 RON 5,399

92.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

$971 RON 4,390

50.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.28

13.06%

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

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lugoj: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Bucharest pays 51% 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: $68.0 in Bucharest vs $28.00 in Lugoj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $138 per month, with Lugoj 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 Lugoj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Lugoj differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $843 including rent). Lugoj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 51% more on average, 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: $662 in Bucharest versus $384 in Lugoj. 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 $843 in Lugoj – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lugoj runs roughly 2% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $843 in Lugoj versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lugoj but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Lugoj 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 Lugoj 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 Lugoj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.