Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Mangalia Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Mangalia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,022 in Mangalia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,563 in Mangalia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $2,103 in Mangalia.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 31% more expensive than Mangalia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Mangalia is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$10.08 RON 45.57

34.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$43.30 RON 196

57.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$8.01 RON 36.21

0.50%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$2.56 RON 11.56

32.81%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$1.96 RON 8.87

18.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$1.95 RON 8.80

22.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$2.33 RON 10.53

51.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$3.46 RON 15.66

15.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.42 RON 6.42

22.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$1.10 RON 4.95

29.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.76 RON 7.96

9.66%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$3.24 RON 14.65

9.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$8.81 RON 39.82

5.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$7.10 RON 32.12

0.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$9.36 RON 42.32

31.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$1.22 RON 5.50

10.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.41 RON 6.39

23.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.34 RON 6.07

31.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$1.90 RON 8.61

26.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$0.75 RON 3.38

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$0.89 RON 4.04

7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.75 RON 3.40

22.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.81 RON 3.68

12.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$5.59 RON 25.26

14.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$6.87 RON 31.05

-6.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$0.96 RON 4.32

27.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.37 RON 6.18

44.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.70 RON 3.19

65.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$19.71 RON 89.1

-1.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.72 RON 3.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

$0.65 RON 2.93

-4.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$5.73 RON 25.89

21.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.55 RON 6.99

10.32%

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

$29.0K RON 131.0K

$25.3K RON 114.4K

14.50%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$26.9K RON 121.7K

12.57%

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

$178 RON 803

$144 RON 650

23.53%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$6.78 RON 30.64

35.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$10.12 RON 45.77

9.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$41.64 RON 188

31.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$19.40 RON 87.7

49.69%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$6.94 RON 31.37

33.57%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$425 RON 1,923

59.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$6,958 RON 31.5K

113.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$83.1 RON 376

-3.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$41.92 RON 189

8.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$73.2 RON 331

21.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$99.7 RON 451

9.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$386 RON 1,743

71.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$288 RON 1,303

49.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$587 RON 2,655

130.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$446 RON 2,014

88.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$1,908 RON 8,625

102.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$1,410 RON 6,375

63.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

$768 RON 3,469

90.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.62

7.25%

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

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mangalia: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $386 in Mangalia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 91% 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 $43.00 in Mangalia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $203 per month, with Mangalia 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 Mangalia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Mangalia differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $1,022 including rent). Mangalia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 91% 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 $386 in Mangalia. 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 $1,022 in Mangalia – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mangalia runs roughly 1% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,022 in Mangalia versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mangalia but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Mangalia 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 Mangalia 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 Mangalia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.