Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Roman Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Roman

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,361 in Bucharest versus $972 in Roman.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Bucharest versus $1,490 in Roman.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,994 in Bucharest versus $2,008 in Roman.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 40% more expensive than in Roman, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 62.3

$12.30 RON 56.4

10.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 RON 318

$27.10 RON 124

155.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 RON 37.63

$8.03 RON 36.86

2.12%

Cappuccino

$3.27 RON 15.01

$3.39 RON 15.57

-3.54%

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

$2.31 RON 10.59

$1.13 RON 5.17

104.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 RON 10.69

$2.00 RON 9.16

16.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RON 15.42

$3.26 RON 14.94

3.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 RON 17.63

$2.35 RON 10.78

63.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.15

$1.53 RON 7.02

16.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 RON 6.26

$0.96 RON 4.39

41.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.87

$1.65 RON 7.57

16.97%

Eggs

$3.62 RON 16.62

$3.02 RON 13.85

19.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 RON 43.52

$8.91 RON 40.89

6.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 RON 31.46

$7.12 RON 32.65

-3.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 RON 56.3

$11.33 RON 52.0

8.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.39

$0.96 RON 4.40

44.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.81

$1.47 RON 6.72

15.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 8.05

$1.53 RON 7.00

15.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 RON 11.54

$2.23 RON 10.25

13.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.77

$0.85 RON 3.89

22.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.64

$1.07 RON 4.90

-5.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.57

$0.88 RON 4.02

13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.38

$0.85 RON 3.88

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.32 RON 28.97

$5.84 RON 26.80

8.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 RON 29.15

$6.37 RON 29.21

-0.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 RON 5.86

$1.14 RON 5.23

12.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 RON 9.17

$1.64 RON 7.53

21.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 RON 5.12

$0.71 RON 3.25

57.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.43 RON 89.1

$20.00 RON 91.8

-2.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 3.03

$0.68 RON 3.12

-2.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.77

$0.61 RON 2.81

-1.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 RON 31.22

$6.83 RON 31.34

-0.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.64 RON 7.55

4.88%

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

$29.0K RON 133.3K

$27.5K RON 126.1K

5.69%

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

$29.9K RON 137.2K

$27.3K RON 125.3K

9.53%

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

$179 RON 819

$93.1 RON 427

91.91%

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

$8.77 RON 40.22

$3.50 RON 16.08

150.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.15 RON 51.1

$5.70 RON 26.13

95.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 RON 251

$41.82 RON 192

31.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.28 RON 134

$19.16 RON 87.9

52.82%

Cinema Ticket

$9.41 RON 43.19

$10.91 RON 50.1

-13.75%

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

$668 RON 3,063

$321 RON 1,472

108.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K RON 66.1K

$6,502 RON 29.8K

121.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 RON 370

$65.8 RON 302

22.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.84 RON 206

$17.44 RON 80.0

157.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 RON 410

$97.6 RON 448

-8.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 501

$34.28 RON 157

218.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 RON 3,016

$393 RON 1,804

67.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,984

$292 RON 1,341

47.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 RON 6,121

$594 RON 2,725

124.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 RON 3,932

$439 RON 2,016

95.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,890 RON 17.8K

$1,727 RON 7,921

125.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,171 RON 9,958

$1,407 RON 6,453

54.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,436 RON 6,587

$843 RON 3,867

70.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

7.7

-7.79%

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

Last update for Bucharest: July 21, 2026

Last update for Roman: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Bucharest and $393 in Roman. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 70% 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 $27.00 in Roman for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $211 per month, with Roman 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 Roman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Roman differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($1,361 vs $972 including rent). Roman is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 70% 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: $657 in Bucharest versus $393 in Roman. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,361 per month in Bucharest versus $972 in Roman – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Roman runs roughly 3% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $972 in Roman versus $1,361 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Roman but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Roman 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.

Expats usually find Roman gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.