Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Piatra Neamt Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Piatra Neamt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,354 in Bucharest versus $919 in Piatra Neamt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,145 in Bucharest versus $1,460 in Piatra Neamt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,936 in Bucharest versus $2,002 in Piatra Neamt.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 47% more expensive than Piatra Neamt, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 1% above, Piatra Neamt is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.79 RON 60.1

$10.55 RON 45.98

30.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.5 RON 299

$37.46 RON 163

82.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 RON 34.21

$7.99 RON 34.82

-1.75%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 14.77

$2.92 RON 12.73

16.10%

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

$2.33 RON 10.15

$1.91 RON 8.34

21.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 RON 10.00

$1.89 RON 8.22

21.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 RON 15.12

$3.26 RON 14.22

6.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.98 RON 17.35

$2.68 RON 11.69

48.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 RON 7.54

$1.52 RON 6.64

13.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 5.88

$1.17 RON 5.09

15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.34

$1.77 RON 7.73

7.91%

Eggs

$3.49 RON 15.20

$3.23 RON 14.07

8.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 RON 41.74

$2.47 RON 10.78

287.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.97 RON 30.38

$6.79 RON 29.62

2.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.12 RON 52.8

$11.91 RON 51.9

1.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.07

$1.14 RON 4.96

21.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.45

$1.66 RON 7.24

3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.03

$1.62 RON 7.05

13.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 RON 10.93

$2.47 RON 10.79

1.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.37

$0.93 RON 4.07

7.53%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.18

$1.03 RON 4.50

-6.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 3.98

$0.88 RON 3.82

3.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 RON 3.90

$0.79 RON 3.46

12.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 RON 27.67

$6.02 RON 26.23

5.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.02 RON 30.62

$4.73 RON 20.64

48.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 RON 5.54

$0.71 RON 3.09

78.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.42

$1.18 RON 5.14

63.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 RON 4.94

$0.66 RON 2.86

71.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 RON 83.6

$19.87 RON 86.6

-3.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 2.92

$0.71 RON 3.11

-5.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.61

$0.71 RON 3.09

-15.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 RON 29.89

$6.76 RON 29.47

1.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.52

$1.52 RON 6.63

13.16%

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

$29.1K RON 126.7K

$28.1K RON 122.4K

3.53%

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

$30.3K RON 132.1K

$27.7K RON 120.9K

9.26%

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

$181 RON 788

$117 RON 508

55.00%

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

$8.87 RON 38.69

$7.91 RON 34.49

12.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.10 RON 48.39

$5.66 RON 24.68

96.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.9 RON 239

$40.92 RON 178

34.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.47 RON 129

$9.02 RON 39.35

226.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.16 RON 39.96

$10.73 RON 46.79

-14.63%

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

$658 RON 2,868

$445 RON 1,939

47.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 62.4K

$6,496 RON 28.3K

120.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.9 RON 357

$67.1 RON 292

22.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.07 RON 196

$43.07 RON 188

4.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 RON 400

$97.1 RON 424

-5.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 472

$97.9 RON 427

10.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$643 RON 2,805

$343 RON 1,495

87.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 1,931

$210 RON 916

110.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 RON 5,794

$587 RON 2,558

126.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$844 RON 3,680

$350 RON 1,527

140.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,172 RON 18.2K

$2,281 RON 9,944

82.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,298 RON 10.0K

$1,699 RON 7,406

35.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,515 RON 6,604

$1,456 RON 6,349

4.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.5

9.23%

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

Last update for Bucharest: April 28, 2026

Last update for Piatra Neamt: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $643 in Bucharest and $343 in Piatra Neamt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 4% 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 Piatra Neamt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $192 per month, with Piatra Neamt 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 Piatra Neamt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Piatra Neamt differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($1,354 vs $919 including rent). Piatra Neamt is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 4% 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: $643 in Bucharest versus $343 in Piatra Neamt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,354 per month in Bucharest versus $919 in Piatra Neamt – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Piatra Neamt runs roughly 4% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $919 in Piatra Neamt versus $1,354 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Piatra Neamt but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Piatra Neamt 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 Piatra Neamt 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 Piatra Neamt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.