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: $1,362 in Bucharest versus $981 in Onesti.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,133 in Bucharest versus $1,455 in Onesti.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Bucharest versus $1,929 in Onesti.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 39% more expensive than in Onesti, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Onesti is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 RON 64.6

$6.94 RON 31.83

103.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 RON 316

$37.23 RON 171

84.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 37.04

$6.59 RON 30.21

22.61%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.55

$1.93 RON 8.86

75.65%

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

$2.24 RON 10.28

$2.01 RON 9.24

11.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.09

$1.61 RON 7.39

50.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.52

$2.11 RON 9.70

60.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 RON 17.57

$2.96 RON 13.60

29.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.88

$1.18 RON 5.40

45.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$1.18 RON 5.40

14.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.41

$1.94 RON 8.92

-5.67%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.72

$2.84 RON 13.02

28.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 RON 42.31

$8.12 RON 37.24

13.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.43

$6.99 RON 32.06

-2.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 RON 55.2

$11.38 RON 52.2

5.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.15

$0.90 RON 4.14

48.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.57 RON 7.20

9.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$1.47 RON 6.74

23.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.97

$1.94 RON 8.89

23.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$0.78 RON 3.60

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.67

$1.10 RON 5.02

-7.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.49

$1.04 RON 4.78

-5.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.63 RON 2.91

50.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 RON 29.33

$5.61 RON 25.75

14.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 RON 29.81

$5.35 RON 24.54

21.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.68

$0.95 RON 4.36

30.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.86

$1.52 RON 6.99

26.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 RON 5.21

$0.68 RON 3.10

67.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.82 RON 90.9

$19.62 RON 90.0

1.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.27

$1.12 RON 5.15

-36.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.99

$0.66 RON 3.03

-1.52%

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

$1.63 RON 7.46

1.84%

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

$29.0K RON 132.8K

$27.7K RON 127.2K

4.35%

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

$30.1K RON 137.9K

$26.0K RON 119.4K

15.53%

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

$183 RON 841

$162 RON 744

13.10%

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

$8.95 RON 41.05

$8.06 RON 36.97

11.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 51.0

$9.46 RON 43.38

17.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 RON 249

$41.83 RON 192

29.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 RON 135

$18.95 RON 86.9

55.62%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 RON 41.88

$6.80 RON 31.20

34.26%

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

$676 RON 3,102

$307 RON 1,408

120.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 65.7K

$9,773 RON 44.8K

46.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 RON 372

$36.76 RON 169

120.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 RON 204

$30.75 RON 141

44.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 RON 412

$72.4 RON 332

24.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 496

$71.9 RON 330

50.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 3,036

$394 RON 1,805

68.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 2,021

$291 RON 1,335

51.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 6,202

$579 RON 2,657

133.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 RON 3,892

$447 RON 2,049

90.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,777 RON 17.3K

$1,985 RON 9,103

90.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 RON 10.2K

$1,416 RON 6,494

57.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,457

$648 RON 2,971

117.36%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Onesti: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $394 in Onesti. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 117% 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: $69.0 in Bucharest vs $37.00 in Onesti for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 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 39% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $981 including rent). Onesti is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 117% higher in Bucharest, 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 $394 in Onesti. 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 $981 in Onesti – a 39% 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 $981 in Onesti versus $1,362 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 39% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.