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: $1,361 in Bucharest versus $895 in Sfantu Gheorghe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Bucharest versus $1,388 in Sfantu Gheorghe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,994 in Bucharest versus $1,880 in Sfantu Gheorghe.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 52% more expensive than in Sfantu Gheorghe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Sfantu Gheorghe is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 62.3

$8.82 RON 40.45

53.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 RON 318

$40.49 RON 186

71.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 RON 37.61

$9.25 RON 42.41

-11.35%

Cappuccino

$3.27 RON 15.01

$2.10 RON 9.63

55.71%

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

$2.31 RON 10.59

$1.26 RON 5.78

83.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 RON 10.69

$1.10 RON 5.05

111.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RON 15.41

$2.24 RON 10.27

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 RON 17.62

$2.68 RON 12.30

43.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.14

$1.54 RON 7.08

15.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 RON 6.25

$1.22 RON 5.59

11.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.86

$1.35 RON 6.17

42.96%

Eggs

$3.62 RON 16.61

$2.96 RON 13.59

22.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 RON 43.50

$8.57 RON 39.29

10.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 RON 31.44

$4.04 RON 18.52

69.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 RON 56.2

$12.67 RON 58.1

-3.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.38

$0.99 RON 4.54

40.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.80

$1.38 RON 6.32

23.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 8.05

$1.26 RON 5.76

39.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 RON 11.53

$1.92 RON 8.81

31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.77

$0.72 RON 3.31

44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.64

$0.87 RON 4.01

16.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.57

$0.80 RON 3.68

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.37

$0.66 RON 3.01

43.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.32 RON 28.96

$5.55 RON 25.44

13.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 RON 29.13

$8.20 RON 37.62

-22.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 RON 5.85

$1.07 RON 4.91

19.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 RON 9.17

$1.12 RON 5.13

78.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 RON 5.12

$0.72 RON 3.31

55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.43 RON 89.1

$19.93 RON 91.4

-2.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 3.03

$0.96 RON 4.40

-31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.77

$0.69 RON 3.16

-13.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 RON 31.20

$7.32 RON 33.57

-6.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.89

$1.60 RON 7.36

7.50%

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

$29.0K RON 133.2K

$28.0K RON 128.2K

3.91%

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

$29.9K RON 137.1K

$27.8K RON 127.3K

7.68%

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

$179 RON 819

$169 RON 775

5.58%

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

$8.77 RON 40.20

$8.67 RON 39.74

1.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.15 RON 51.1

$9.68 RON 44.39

15.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 RON 251

$42.14 RON 193

30.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.28 RON 134

$19.52 RON 89.5

50.00%

Cinema Ticket

$9.41 RON 43.16

$3.40 RON 15.59

176.76%

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

$668 RON 3,061

$429 RON 1,965

55.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K RON 66.0K

$6,965 RON 31.9K

106.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 RON 370

$34.73 RON 159

132.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.84 RON 206

$18.61 RON 85.3

140.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 RON 410

$27.49 RON 126

225.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 501

$69.4 RON 318

57.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 RON 3,015

$315 RON 1,444

108.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,983

$234 RON 1,073

84.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 RON 6,117

$575 RON 2,638

131.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 RON 3,929

$435 RON 1,993

97.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,890 RON 17.8K

$1,938 RON 8,885

100.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,171 RON 9,953

$1,421 RON 6,515

52.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,436 RON 6,583

$694 RON 3,183

106.84%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Sfantu Gheorghe: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Bucharest and $315 in Sfantu Gheorghe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 107% 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 $40.00 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 52% in total monthly costs ($1,361 vs $895 including rent). Sfantu Gheorghe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 107% 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 $315 in Sfantu Gheorghe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,361 per month in Bucharest versus $895 in Sfantu Gheorghe – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $895 in Sfantu Gheorghe versus $1,361 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 52% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.