Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Onesti Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Onesti

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $989 in Onesti.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,468 in Onesti.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $1,948 in Onesti.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 35% more expensive than Onesti, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Onesti is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$6.89 RON 31.14

97.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$37.47 RON 169

81.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$6.48 RON 29.27

24.23%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$1.93 RON 8.72

76.17%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$1.98 RON 8.93

17.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$1.62 RON 7.32

46.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$2.12 RON 9.58

66.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$2.94 RON 13.28

36.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.16 RON 5.24

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$1.19 RON 5.36

19.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.88 RON 8.48

2.66%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$2.92 RON 13.19

21.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$7.99 RON 36.10

16.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$6.95 RON 31.42

2.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$11.46 RON 51.8

7.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$0.92 RON 4.15

46.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.59 RON 7.20

9.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.51 RON 6.81

16.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$1.88 RON 8.48

27.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$0.77 RON 3.47

36.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$1.06 RON 4.79

-9.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$1.00 RON 4.51

-8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.61 RON 2.75

49.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$5.64 RON 25.49

13.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$5.56 RON 25.12

16.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$0.97 RON 4.37

25.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.49 RON 6.72

32.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.68 RON 3.06

70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$19.75 RON 89.3

-1.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$1.13 RON 5.11

-36.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

$0.64 RON 2.90

-3.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$6.74 RON 30.46

2.97%

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

$27.5K RON 124.5K

5.20%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$25.8K RON 116.7K

17.32%

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

$178 RON 803

$158 RON 713

12.74%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$7.88 RON 35.61

16.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$9.82 RON 44.37

13.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$41.66 RON 188

31.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$19.05 RON 86.1

52.44%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$7.03 RON 31.77

31.86%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$309 RON 1,395

119.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$9,960 RON 45.0K

49.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$36.83 RON 166

116.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$29.96 RON 135

51.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$72.8 RON 329

22.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$72.2 RON 326

51.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$393 RON 1,775

68.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$289 RON 1,305

49.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$588 RON 2,656

130.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$434 RON 1,964

93.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$1,868 RON 8,445

106.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$1,396 RON 6,313

65.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

$663 RON 2,997

120.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

7.11

-0.14%

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

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Last update for Onesti: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $393 in Onesti. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 121% 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 $37.00 in Onesti for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $200 per month, with Onesti 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 Onesti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Onesti differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $989 including rent). Onesti is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 121% 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 $393 in Onesti. 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 $989 in Onesti – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $989 in Onesti versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Onesti but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Onesti 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 Onesti 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 Onesti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.