Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Ploiesti Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Ploiesti

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,113 in Ploiesti.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,622 in Ploiesti.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $2,131 in Ploiesti.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 20% more expensive than Ploiesti, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Ploiesti is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$10.04 RON 45.40

35.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$42.43 RON 192

60.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$7.69 RON 34.75

4.68%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$2.60 RON 11.76

30.77%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$1.91 RON 8.62

21.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$1.91 RON 8.61

24.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$2.31 RON 10.45

53.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$3.41 RON 15.40

17.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.40 RON 6.34

24.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$1.04 RON 4.71

36.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.77 RON 8.02

9.04%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$3.21 RON 14.52

10.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$8.90 RON 40.23

4.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$6.92 RON 31.26

3.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$9.23 RON 41.72

33.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$1.17 RON 5.27

15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.46 RON 6.58

19.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.29 RON 5.82

36.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$1.91 RON 8.63

25.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$0.80 RON 3.61

31.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$0.88 RON 3.98

9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.71 RON 3.21

29.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.86 RON 3.91

5.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$5.74 RON 25.96

11.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$6.94 RON 31.38

-7.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$0.92 RON 4.15

32.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.42 RON 6.43

39.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.61 RON 2.75

90.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$19.74 RON 89.2

-1.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.72 RON 3.23

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$5.65 RON 25.55

22.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.60 RON 7.23

6.87%

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

$29.0K RON 131.0K

$24.5K RON 110.7K

18.35%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$27.6K RON 124.7K

9.80%

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

$178 RON 803

$149 RON 672

19.63%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$8.29 RON 37.46

10.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$9.81 RON 44.35

13.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$50.6 RON 229

8.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$20.74 RON 93.8

40.02%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$7.05 RON 31.88

31.49%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$426 RON 1,928

58.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$6,827 RON 30.9K

117.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$83.4 RON 377

-4.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$42.77 RON 193

5.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$75.9 RON 343

17.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$96.2 RON 435

13.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$521 RON 2,353

27.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$332 RON 1,502

30.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$761 RON 3,438

78.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$468 RON 2,116

79.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$2,006 RON 9,067

92.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$1,326 RON 5,993

73.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

$1,061 RON 4,795

37.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.62

7.25%

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

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ploiesti: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $521 in Ploiesti. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 38% 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 $42.00 in Ploiesti for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $201 per month, with Ploiesti 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 Ploiesti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Ploiesti differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $1,113 including rent). Ploiesti is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 38% 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 $521 in Ploiesti. 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 $1,113 in Ploiesti – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,113 in Ploiesti versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ploiesti but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Ploiesti 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 Ploiesti 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 Ploiesti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.