Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Maharagama

For one person, living is cheaper in Maharagama: $133 a month against $1,340 in Bucharest, rent and utilities included – about $14,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index

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Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,340

/mo nomad

Maharagama

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$133

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bucharest and in Maharagama

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,340 in Bucharest versus $133 in Maharagama.

Bucharest $1,340
Maharagama $133

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Bucharest versus $250 in Maharagama.

Bucharest $2,037
Maharagama $250

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,734 in Bucharest versus $367 in Maharagama.

Bucharest $2,734
Maharagama $367

Living in Bucharest is roughly 906% more expensive than in Maharagama, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bucharest 1% lower, Maharagama 90% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.49 RON 68.6

$5.39 LKR 1,785

168.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 275

$20.20 LKR 6,690

187.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 RON 35.40

$6.82 LKR 2,260

9.68%

Cappuccino

$3.44 RON 16.29

$2.12 LKR 701

62.26%

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

$2.37 RON 11.22

$0.59 LKR 196

301.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.88

$0.29 LKR 94.8

693.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 RON 17.51

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 RON 19.69

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.90

$0.93 LKR 307

79.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 RON 6.50

$0.25 LKR 83.2

448.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 RON 8.14

$0.49 LKR 162

251.02%

Eggs

$3.64 RON 17.22

$1.49 LKR 494

144.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 RON 42.98

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 RON 32.35

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 RON 56.8

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.80

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.73

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.45

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 RON 12.01

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.75

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.66

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 4.13

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 RON 4.70

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.31 RON 29.86

Wine (Bottle)

$6.20 RON 29.34

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 RON 5.63

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 RON 7.45

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 4.08

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.10 RON 99.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 3.05

$0.44 LKR 146

45.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.86

$0.47 LKR 155

27.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 RON 30.43

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 RON 9.25

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

$29.0K RON 137.2K

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

$26.6K RON 126.0K

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

$196 RON 927

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

$8.04 RON 38.04

$4.63 LKR 1,534

73.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.35 RON 44.21

$13.62 LKR 4,510

-31.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 RON 238

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.33 RON 120

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 RON 38.55

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

$628 RON 2,971

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K RON 66.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.6 RON 424

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 RON 181

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 RON 375

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 RON 428

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 RON 3,209

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,121

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 RON 5,125

$197 LKR 65.3K

449.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 RON 3,430

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,751 RON 17.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,195 RON 10.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,329 RON 6,290

$244 LKR 80.7K

445.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

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

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Last update for Maharagama: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bucharest

$448 33.5%

Maharagama

–

Eating Out

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Maharagama

–

Groceries & Markets

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Maharagama

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bucharest

$213 15.9%

Maharagama

–

Clothing & Footwear

Bucharest

$134 10%

Maharagama

–

Sport & Entertainment

Bucharest

$67 5%

Maharagama

–

Getting Around

Bucharest

$28 2.1%

Maharagama

–

Cost Breakdown

Bucharest pays 446% 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 $20.00 in Maharagama for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $20.00 per month, with Maharagama cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🇱🇰 Maharagama

🕒 Local time

10:24 10:24 AM

12:54 12:54 PM

2 h 30 min ahead of Bucharest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,883,425 Capital

196,400

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, 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).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 331 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.02 USD). 1 EUR = 372 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.69 EUR).

USD to RON in detail →

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Bucharest Maharagama 6,660 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

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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 Maharagama: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Maharagama differ by about 906% in total monthly costs ($1,340 vs $133 including rent). Maharagama is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 446% higher in Bucharest, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Dining out is cheaper in Maharagama – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $58.0 in Bucharest. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,340 per month in Bucharest versus $133 in Maharagama – a 906% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $133 in Maharagama versus $1,340 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Maharagama but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Maharagama 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 Maharagama 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 Maharagama gentler on the wallet – expenses run 906% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.