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: $1,362 in Bucharest versus $1,096 in Medias.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,133 in Bucharest versus $1,682 in Medias.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Bucharest versus $2,269 in Medias.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 24% more expensive than in Medias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Medias is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 RON 64.6

$11.97 RON 54.9

17.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 RON 316

$51.1 RON 234

34.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 37.04

$8.17 RON 37.46

-1.10%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.55

$3.51 RON 16.12

-3.42%

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

$2.24 RON 10.28

$1.99 RON 9.12

12.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.09

$2.08 RON 9.52

16.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.52

$3.16 RON 14.49

6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 RON 17.57

$3.51 RON 16.09

9.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.88

$1.42 RON 6.51

21.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$1.30 RON 5.96

3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.41

$1.77 RON 8.12

3.39%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.72

$3.22 RON 14.75

13.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 RON 42.31

$8.89 RON 40.77

3.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.43

$6.88 RON 31.55

-0.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 RON 55.2

$11.86 RON 54.4

1.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.15

$1.19 RON 5.44

12.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.57 RON 7.18

9.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$1.54 RON 7.04

18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.97

$2.42 RON 11.08

-1.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$0.96 RON 4.41

8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.67

$1.03 RON 4.74

-0.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.49

$0.93 RON 4.25

5.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.83 RON 3.81

14.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 RON 29.33

$5.91 RON 27.11

8.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 RON 29.81

$7.47 RON 34.27

-12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.68

$1.10 RON 5.02

12.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.86

$1.65 RON 7.58

16.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 RON 5.21

$0.67 RON 3.09

70.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.82 RON 90.9

$20.19 RON 92.6

-1.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.27

$0.77 RON 3.55

-7.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.99

$0.77 RON 3.52

-15.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$6.77 RON 31.05

2.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.59

$1.53 RON 7.03

8.50%

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

$29.0K RON 132.8K

$28.2K RON 129.5K

2.51%

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

$30.1K RON 137.9K

$27.9K RON 128.0K

7.73%

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

$183 RON 841

$166 RON 763

10.24%

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

$8.95 RON 41.05

$8.18 RON 37.53

9.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 51.0

$9.18 RON 42.09

21.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 RON 249

$40.91 RON 188

32.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 RON 135

$19.10 RON 87.6

54.40%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 RON 41.88

$6.86 RON 31.45

33.09%

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

$676 RON 3,102

$456 RON 2,090

48.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 65.7K

$6,640 RON 30.5K

115.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 RON 372

$65.7 RON 301

23.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 RON 204

$43.41 RON 199

2.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 RON 412

$96.8 RON 444

-7.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 496

$100 RON 460

7.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 3,036

$392 RON 1,800

68.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 2,021

$294 RON 1,347

50.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 6,202

$594 RON 2,722

127.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 RON 3,892

$438 RON 2,009

93.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,777 RON 17.3K

$2,246 RON 10.3K

68.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 RON 10.2K

$1,261 RON 5,781

77.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,457

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medias: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $392 in Medias. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69.0 in Bucharest vs $51.0 in Medias for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $220 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 24% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $1,096 including rent). Medias is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,044 in Bucharest and $1,644 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 $392 in Medias. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,362 per month in Bucharest versus $1,096 in Medias – a 24% 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 $1,096 in Medias versus $1,362 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 24% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.