Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Sfantu Gheorghe Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Sfantu Gheorghe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,355 in Bucharest versus $907 in Sfantu Gheorghe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Bucharest versus $1,386 in Sfantu Gheorghe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,918 in Bucharest versus $1,866 in Sfantu Gheorghe.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 50% more expensive than Sfantu Gheorghe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 1% above, Sfantu Gheorghe is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 58.9

$8.62 RON 37.39

57.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 RON 301

$40.74 RON 177

70.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 RON 34.84

$8.80 RON 38.21

-8.75%

Cappuccino

$3.42 RON 14.86

$2.03 RON 8.81

68.47%

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

$2.33 RON 10.13

$1.27 RON 5.53

83.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 RON 10.09

$1.16 RON 5.03

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 RON 15.21

$2.15 RON 9.35

63.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 RON 16.60

$2.81 RON 12.22

35.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.41

$1.62 RON 7.04

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.13

$1.16 RON 5.03

21.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 7.95

$1.40 RON 6.06

30.71%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.29

$2.95 RON 12.79

19.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 RON 40.90

$8.75 RON 37.98

7.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.09 RON 30.77

$4.20 RON 18.23

68.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 53.3

$12.41 RON 53.9

-1.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 5.82

$0.98 RON 4.26

36.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.47

$1.37 RON 5.93

25.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 RON 7.67

$1.24 RON 5.37

42.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.37

$1.92 RON 8.33

24.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.52

$0.72 RON 3.13

44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.25

$0.91 RON 3.96

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 RON 4.04

$0.78 RON 3.40

19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.18

$0.68 RON 2.95

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 27.26

$5.59 RON 24.26

12.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 RON 31.42

$7.92 RON 34.37

-8.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.37

$1.05 RON 4.55

18.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 RON 8.76

$1.18 RON 5.12

71.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 RON 5.11

$0.67 RON 2.89

76.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.62 RON 85.2

$19.90 RON 86.4

-1.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 2.88

$0.90 RON 3.91

-26.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.62

$0.74 RON 3.22

-18.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.08 RON 30.74

$7.39 RON 32.09

-4.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.23

$1.61 RON 6.99

3.73%

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

$28.4K RON 123.3K

$28.5K RON 123.6K

-0.22%

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

$30.5K RON 132.2K

$28.0K RON 121.4K

8.89%

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

$182 RON 791

$169 RON 735

7.56%

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

$8.93 RON 38.74

$8.86 RON 38.46

0.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.15 RON 48.37

$10.08 RON 43.74

10.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 RON 235

$40.75 RON 177

33.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.96 RON 126

$18.83 RON 81.7

53.80%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 RON 39.89

$3.38 RON 14.67

171.89%

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

$662 RON 2,873

$427 RON 1,855

54.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K RON 62.7K

$6,995 RON 30.4K

106.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.5 RON 345

$34.39 RON 149

131.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.22 RON 196

$18.14 RON 78.7

149.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 RON 395

$28.09 RON 122

224.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 RON 477

$70.0 RON 304

57.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 RON 2,869

$315 RON 1,368

109.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 RON 1,863

$228 RON 990

88.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 5,869

$572 RON 2,483

136.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 RON 3,691

$439 RON 1,906

93.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,026 RON 17.5K

$1,830 RON 7,942

119.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 RON 9,911

$1,373 RON 5,960

66.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,522 RON 6,605

$759 RON 3,296

100.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.75

5.19%

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

Last update for Bucharest: April 22, 2026

Last update for Sfantu Gheorghe: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Bucharest and $315 in Sfantu Gheorghe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 100% 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 in Bucharest vs $41 in Sfantu Gheorghe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $196 per month, with Sfantu Gheorghe 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 Sfantu Gheorghe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Sfantu Gheorghe differ by about 50% in total monthly costs ($1,355 vs $907 including rent). Sfantu Gheorghe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 100% 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: $661 in Bucharest versus $315 in Sfantu Gheorghe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,355 per month in Bucharest versus $907 in Sfantu Gheorghe – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $907 in Sfantu Gheorghe versus $1,355 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sfantu Gheorghe but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Sfantu Gheorghe 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 Sfantu Gheorghe 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 Sfantu Gheorghe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.