Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Schaffhausen

For one person, living is cheaper in Bucharest: $1,337 a month against $3,125 in Schaffhausen, rent and utilities included – about $21,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Schaffhausen
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Schaffhausen Living Index

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Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,337

/mo nomad

Schaffhausen

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,125

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bucharest and in Schaffhausen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bucharest and in Schaffhausen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,337 in Bucharest versus $3,125 in Schaffhausen.

Bucharest $1,337
Schaffhausen $3,125

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,029 in Bucharest versus $5,038 in Schaffhausen.

Bucharest $2,029
Schaffhausen $5,038

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,721 in Bucharest versus $6,951 in Schaffhausen.

Bucharest $2,721
Schaffhausen $6,951

Living in Bucharest costs roughly 57% less than in Schaffhausen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 1% below, Schaffhausen is 131% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.45 RON 68.4

$29.70 CHF 24.46

-51.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 275

$123 CHF 101

-52.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 RON 35.65

$18.03 CHF 14.85

-58.24%

Cappuccino

$3.45 RON 16.33

$5.64 CHF 4.65

-38.83%

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

$2.46 RON 11.65

$5.52 CHF 4.55

-55.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 RON 10.54

$4.78 CHF 3.94

-53.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.76 RON 17.78

$8.22 CHF 6.77

-54.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.19 RON 19.84

$7.47 CHF 6.16

-43.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 RON 7.67

$2.16 CHF 1.78

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 RON 6.13

$4.06 CHF 3.35

-67.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 RON 8.05

$4.12 CHF 3.40

-58.74%

Eggs

$3.79 RON 17.93

$7.94 CHF 6.54

-52.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.86 RON 41.90

$28.10 CHF 23.14

-68.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 RON 32.67

$30.57 CHF 25.18

-77.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 RON 57.4

$42.49 CHF 34.99

-71.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 RON 6.17

$3.85 CHF 3.17

-66.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.55

$2.04 CHF 1.68

-21.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.42

$3.21 CHF 2.65

-51.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 RON 12.67

$5.54 CHF 4.57

-51.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 RON 3.82

$2.41 CHF 1.98

-66.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.73

$2.14 CHF 1.77

-63.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 4.30

$2.37 CHF 1.96

-61.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 RON 4.58

$1.18 CHF 0.97

-17.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.41 RON 30.34

$10.75 CHF 8.85

-40.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.18 RON 29.24

$12.87 CHF 10.60

-51.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 RON 5.83

$2.91 CHF 2.40

-57.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 RON 7.91

$3.84 CHF 3.16

-56.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 RON 4.10

$4.04 CHF 3.33

-78.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.98 RON 99.3

$96.6 CHF 79.5

-78.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 3.10

$6.02 CHF 4.95

-89.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.85

$3.72 CHF 3.07

-83.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 RON 29.28

$61.4 CHF 50.5

-89.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 RON 9.15

$2.30 CHF 1.89

-16.09%

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

$28.7K RON 135.9K

$43.0K CHF 35.4K

-33.19%

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

$26.3K RON 124.6K

$39.6K CHF 32.6K

-33.49%

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

$196 RON 926

$234 CHF 193

-16.39%

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

$8.49 RON 40.19

$31.93 CHF 26.30

-73.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.05 RON 42.84

$62.9 CHF 51.8

-85.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.54 RON 234

$107 CHF 88.5

-53.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.03 RON 118

$47.27 CHF 38.93

-47.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.24 RON 39.01

$23.65 CHF 19.48

-65.16%

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

$636 RON 3,007

$3,112 CHF 2,563

-79.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K RON 69.0K

$32.1K CHF 26.5K

-54.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.5 RON 419

$167 CHF 137

-46.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.77 RON 183

$54.3 CHF 44.73

-28.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 RON 373

$190 CHF 156

-58.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 RON 428

$149 CHF 122

-39.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 RON 3,288

$1,285 CHF 1,058

-45.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 RON 2,109

$1,165 CHF 960

-61.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 RON 5,130

$2,705 CHF 2,228

-59.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 RON 3,368

$2,362 CHF 1,946

-69.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,797 RON 18.0K

$8,026 CHF 6,610

-52.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,202 RON 10.4K

$8,459 CHF 6,967

-73.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,354 RON 6,406

$7,212 CHF 5,940

-81.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

2.48

172.18%

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

Last update for Bucharest: October 19, 2026

Last update for Schaffhausen: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bucharest

$446 33.3%

Schaffhausen

$1.2K 37.3% 161% $719

Eating Out

Bucharest

$226 16.9%

Schaffhausen

$457 14.6% 103% $231

Groceries & Markets

Bucharest

$225 16.9%

Schaffhausen

$630 20.2% 180% $405

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bucharest

$213 15.9%

Schaffhausen

$329 10.5% 54.2% $116

Clothing & Footwear

Bucharest

$133 10%

Schaffhausen

$252 8.1% 88.6% $118

Sport & Entertainment

Bucharest

$66 4.9%

Schaffhausen

$155 5% 134% $89

Getting Around

Bucharest

$28 2.1%

Schaffhausen

$137 4.4% 388% $109

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $695 in Bucharest and $1,285 in Schaffhausen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaffhausen pays 433% 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: $58.0 in Bucharest vs $123 in Schaffhausen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $630 per month, with Bucharest cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🇨🇭 Schaffhausen

🕒 Local time

00:17 12:17 AM

23:17 11:17 PM

1 h behind Bucharest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,883,425 Capital

35,927

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CHF, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇴 Romanian Leu (lei)

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

USD to RON in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Bucharest Schaffhausen 1,390 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Bucharest
Schaffhausen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Schaffhausen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Schaffhausen differ by about 134% in total monthly costs ($1,337 vs $3,125 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 433% lower in Schaffhausen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $695 in Bucharest versus $1,285 in Schaffhausen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,337 per month in Bucharest versus $3,125 in Schaffhausen – a 134% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 360% less than in Schaffhausen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,337 in Bucharest versus $3,125 in Schaffhausen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Schaffhausen. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest 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 Schaffhausen 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 Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 134% less than in Schaffhausen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.