Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Rรขศ™nov Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Rรขศ™nov

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,331 in Bucharest versus $1,037 in Rรขศ™nov.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,166 in Bucharest versus $1,576 in Rรขศ™nov.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Bucharest versus $2,114 in Rรขศ™nov.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 28% more expensive than Rรขศ™nov, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bucharest 1% lower, Rรขศ™nov 23% lower.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Bucharest
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.87 RONย 62.7
$8.57 RONย 38.76
61.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.0 RONย 317
$40.40 RONย 183
73.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.23 RONย 37.24
$8.05 RONย 36.40
2.24%
Cappuccino
$3.45 RONย 15.60
$2.31 RONย 10.46
49.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.33 RONย 10.54
$1.33 RONย 6.00
75.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 RONย 10.47
$1.15 RONย 5.22
100.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.51 RONย 15.89
$2.16 RONย 9.76
62.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 RONย 17.16
$2.83 RONย 12.80
33.92%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Bucharest
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.78 RONย 8.06
$1.52 RONย 6.88
17.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 RONย 6.47
$1.17 RONย 5.31
22.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.83 RONย 8.28
$1.57 RONย 7.10
16.56%
Eggs
$3.53 RONย 15.98
$3.02 RONย 13.65
16.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.61 RONย 43.47
$8.47 RONย 38.33
13.46%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.92 RONย 31.28
$6.98 RONย 31.59
-0.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.27 RONย 55.5
$11.85 RONย 53.6
3.54%
Apples (1kg)
$1.39 RONย 6.29
$1.01 RONย 4.57
37.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 RONย 7.76
$1.36 RONย 6.16
26.47%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.75 RONย 7.92
$1.52 RONย 6.89
15.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.40 RONย 10.85
$1.95 RONย 8.80
23.08%
Potato (1kg)
$1.04 RONย 4.69
$0.90 RONย 4.07
15.56%
Onion (1kg)
$0.96 RONย 4.36
$0.92 RONย 4.15
4.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 RONย 4.46
$0.76 RONย 3.42
28.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 RONย 4.12
$0.80 RONย 3.63
13.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.35 RONย 28.73
$6.04 RONย 27.31
5.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.62 RONย 29.94
$7.50 RONย 33.93
-11.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.22 RONย 5.54
$1.07 RONย 4.85
14.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01 RONย 9.08
$1.69 RONย 7.63
18.93%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Bucharest
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 RONย 5.05
$0.67 RONย 3.05
67.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.94 RONย 90.2
$19.81 RONย 89.6
0.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.70 RONย 3.18
$0.71 RONย 3.20
-1.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.66 RONย 2.97
$0.61 RONย 2.75
8.20%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.79 RONย 30.74
$6.80 RONย 30.75
-0.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.73 RONย 7.81
$1.63 RONย 7.36
6.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K RONย 131.5K
$27.7K RONย 125.2K
5.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.4K RONย 137.4K
$27.6K RONย 124.7K
10.21%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bucharest
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 RONย 804
$168 RONย 758
6.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.16 RONย 41.45
$8.27 RONย 37.39
10.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.22 RONย 50.7
$9.12 RONย 41.24
23.03%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Bucharest
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.2 RONย 250
$41.59 RONย 188
32.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.55 RONย 134
$19.03 RONย 86.1
55.28%
Cinema Ticket
$8.96 RONย 40.51
$5.90 RONย 26.68
51.86%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Bucharest
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$657 RONย 2,973
$445 RONย 2,013
47.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.5K RONย 65.8K
$6,566 RONย 29.7K
121.40%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Bucharest
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.4 RONย 368
$72.5 RONย 328
12.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.88 RONย 208
$42.20 RONย 191
8.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.4 RONย 405
$97.0 RONย 439
-7.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 RONย 495
$79.1 RONย 358
38.51%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Bucharest
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$644 RONย 2,914
$392 RONย 1,773
64.33%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$444 RONย 2,007
$286 RONย 1,294
55.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,343 RONย 6,074
$595 RONย 2,693
125.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$847 RONย 3,833
$441 RONย 1,994
92.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,941 RONย 17.8K
$1,938 RONย 8,766
103.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,248 RONย 10.2K
$1,395 RONย 6,309
61.18%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Bucharest
Rรขศ™nov
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,425 RONย 6,444
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.1
7.7
-7.79%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bucharest: June 8, 2026

Last update for Rรขศ™nov: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $644 in Bucharest and $392 in Rรขศ™nov. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Bucharest vs $40.00 in Rรขศ™nov for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $211 per month, with Rรขศ™nov 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 Rรขศ™nov: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Bucharest and Rรขศ™nov?
Bucharest and Rรขศ™nov differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,331 vs $1,037 including rent). Rรขศ™nov is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Bucharest compared to Rรขศ™nov?
You'd need roughly $1,997 in Bucharest and $1,555 in Rรขศ™nov 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Bucharest and Rรขศ™nov?
Rent for a central apartment: $644 in Bucharest versus $392 in Rรขศ™nov. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Bucharest or Rรขศ™nov?
All in, you'll spend $1,331 per month in Bucharest versus $1,037 in Rรขศ™nov โ€“ a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Bucharest and Rรขศ™nov?
A monthly transit pass in Rรขศ™nov runs roughly 1% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,037 in Rรขศ™nov versus $1,331 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rรขศ™nov but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Rรขศ™nov the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Bucharest and Rรขศ™nov?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Bucharest or Rรขศ™nov safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Bucharest and Rรขศ™nov are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Bucharest or Rรขศ™nov?
Expats usually find Rรขศ™nov gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 28% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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