Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Medias Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Medias

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,105 in Medias.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,692 in Medias.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $2,280 in Medias.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 21% more expensive than Medias, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Medias is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$12.24 RON 55.3

10.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$51.2 RON 231

33.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$8.08 RON 36.55

-0.37%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$3.60 RON 16.26

-5.56%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$1.98 RON 8.97

17.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$2.07 RON 9.35

14.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$3.20 RON 14.46

10.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$3.37 RON 15.24

18.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.34 RON 6.07

29.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$1.28 RON 5.80

10.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.75 RON 7.91

10.29%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$3.38 RON 15.28

4.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$8.48 RON 38.35

9.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$7.02 RON 31.72

1.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$12.01 RON 54.3

2.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$1.17 RON 5.29

15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.58 RON 7.14

10.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.59 RON 7.19

10.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$2.44 RON 11.01

-1.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$0.96 RON 4.33

9.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$1.08 RON 4.86

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.96 RON 4.32

-4.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.77 RON 3.50

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$5.86 RON 26.49

8.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$8.89 RON 40.20

-27.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.10 RON 4.97

10.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.71 RON 7.73

15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.66 RON 2.97

75.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$19.56 RON 88.4

-0.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.77 RON 3.50

-6.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

$0.75 RON 3.39

-17.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$7.05 RON 31.85

-1.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.48 RON 6.68

15.54%

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

$29.0K RON 131.0K

$28.0K RON 126.7K

3.40%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$27.7K RON 125.3K

9.31%

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

$178 RON 803

$166 RON 750

7.06%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$7.94 RON 35.89

15.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$8.81 RON 39.82

26.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$42.27 RON 191

29.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$18.88 RON 85.3

53.81%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$6.97 RON 31.51

33.00%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$441 RON 1,992

53.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$6,656 RON 30.1K

123.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$67.5 RON 305

18.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$43.33 RON 196

4.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$97.0 RON 438

-8.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$97.2 RON 439

12.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$396 RON 1,789

67.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$290 RON 1,312

48.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$599 RON 2,707

126.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$436 RON 1,972

92.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$1,631 RON 7,374

136.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$1,484 RON 6,710

55.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

7.7

-7.79%

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

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medias: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $396 in Medias. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $68.0 in Bucharest vs $51.0 in Medias for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $222 per month, with Medias 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 Medias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Medias differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $1,105 including rent). Medias is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,004 in Bucharest and $1,658 in Medias to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $662 in Bucharest versus $396 in Medias. 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 $1,105 in Medias – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medias runs roughly 0% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,105 in Medias versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medias but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Medias 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 Medias 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 Medias gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.