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: $1,397 in Bucharest versus $1,174 in Medias.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,105 in Bucharest versus $1,802 in Medias.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,814 in Bucharest versus $2,429 in Medias.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 19% more expensive than in Medias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Medias is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.50 RON 71.0

$12.36 RON 56.6

25.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 RON 274

$55.0 RON 252

8.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 RON 34.53

$7.95 RON 36.43

-5.16%

Cappuccino

$3.72 RON 17.05

$3.80 RON 17.40

-2.11%

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

$2.36 RON 10.81

$2.57 RON 11.77

-8.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.53

$2.36 RON 10.80

-2.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 RON 18.23

$3.26 RON 14.92

22.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 RON 20.67

$3.61 RON 16.52

24.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 RON 8.32

$1.31 RON 5.99

38.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 RON 6.61

$1.52 RON 6.98

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$1.79 RON 8.20

1.68%

Eggs

$3.94 RON 18.05

$3.60 RON 16.50

9.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.47 RON 43.37

$9.20 RON 42.14

2.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 RON 32.31

$7.38 RON 33.83

-4.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 RON 55.7

$13.33 RON 61.1

-8.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.10

$1.56 RON 7.15

-14.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.67

$1.58 RON 7.22

5.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.49

$1.67 RON 7.64

-1.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 RON 12.81

$2.85 RON 13.04

-1.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.85

$0.81 RON 3.72

3.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.61

$0.89 RON 4.08

-11.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$0.94 RON 4.29

-3.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.85 RON 3.91

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.00 RON 32.07

$6.59 RON 30.18

6.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 RON 29.50

$7.68 RON 35.18

-16.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.69

$1.27 RON 5.82

-2.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.97

$2.00 RON 9.14

-13.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.93

$0.75 RON 3.45

14.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.97 RON 101

$22.39 RON 103

-1.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.91

$0.67 RON 3.08

-5.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.16

$0.71 RON 3.24

-2.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 RON 30.61

$6.95 RON 31.83

-3.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 RON 9.03

$1.43 RON 6.55

37.76%

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

$29.3K RON 134.4K

$29.8K RON 136.3K

-1.44%

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

$28.4K RON 130.2K

$27.0K RON 123.7K

5.28%

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

$192 RON 878

$189 RON 865

1.51%

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

$8.51 RON 38.97

$8.31 RON 38.05

2.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.09 RON 46.20

$9.69 RON 44.37

4.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 RON 243

$39.39 RON 180

34.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.78 RON 118

$21.47 RON 98.3

20.07%

Cinema Ticket

$8.57 RON 39.24

$6.77 RON 31.00

26.59%

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

$664 RON 3,043

$464 RON 2,126

43.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K RON 69.2K

$7,274 RON 33.3K

107.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 RON 433

$53.6 RON 246

76.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 RON 187

$36.85 RON 169

10.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 RON 378

$78.0 RON 357

5.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 RON 455

$95.1 RON 436

4.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 RON 3,278

$397 RON 1,817

80.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 RON 2,154

$295 RON 1,352

59.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 RON 5,265

$638 RON 2,921

80.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 RON 3,384

$471 RON 2,158

56.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,881 RON 17.8K

$1,908 RON 8,741

103.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,277 RON 10.4K

$1,377 RON 6,309

65.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,484 RON 6,798

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

7.2

-6.11%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medias: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Bucharest and $397 in Medias. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $60.0 in Bucharest vs $55.0 in Medias. Groceries flip the comparison at $235 vs $236, with Bucharest cheaper for home cooking.

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 19% in total monthly costs ($1,397 vs $1,174 including rent). Medias is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,095 in Bucharest and $1,762 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: $716 in Bucharest versus $397 in Medias. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,397 per month in Bucharest versus $1,174 in Medias – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,174 in Medias versus $1,397 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 19% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.