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: $1,434 in Bucharest versus $839 in Sfantu Gheorghe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,168 in Bucharest versus $1,355 in Sfantu Gheorghe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,901 in Bucharest versus $1,870 in Sfantu Gheorghe.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 71% more expensive than in Sfantu Gheorghe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 4% above, Sfantu Gheorghe is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.25 RON 64.4

$8.60 RON 38.81

65.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 RON 273

$44.65 RON 202

35.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 RON 33.98

$7.70 RON 34.76

-2.21%

Cappuccino

$3.72 RON 16.80

$2.61 RON 11.78

42.53%

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

$2.41 RON 10.89

$1.34 RON 6.05

79.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 RON 10.26

$1.08 RON 4.88

110.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.09 RON 18.45

$2.59 RON 11.71

57.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 RON 19.52

$2.25 RON 10.14

92.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.04

$1.46 RON 6.58

21.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 RON 6.63

$1.17 RON 5.27

25.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.17

$1.47 RON 6.64

23.13%

Eggs

$3.82 RON 17.24

$3.53 RON 15.93

8.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 RON 42.84

$8.10 RON 36.59

17.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 RON 31.38

$4.80 RON 21.69

44.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 RON 56.8

$8.36 RON 37.76

50.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 RON 5.99

$1.14 RON 5.14

16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.43

$1.63 RON 7.37

1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.26

$1.27 RON 5.71

26.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 RON 12.15

$2.69 RON 12.13

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$0.70 RON 3.15

25.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.43

$0.63 RON 2.86

20.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 RON 3.90

$1.08 RON 4.86

-20.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 RON 4.43

$0.84 RON 3.79

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.92 RON 31.24

$5.14 RON 23.21

34.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 RON 30.56

$7.67 RON 34.63

-11.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.82

$0.97 RON 4.40

32.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.82

$1.10 RON 4.95

57.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$0.90 RON 4.07

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.35 RON 101

$16.69 RON 75.4

33.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 RON 2.93

$1.02 RON 4.61

-36.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.10

$0.92 RON 4.17

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.84 RON 30.86

$8.62 RON 38.92

-20.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 RON 9.18

$1.63 RON 7.35

24.54%

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

$29.4K RON 132.8K

$30.1K RON 136.0K

-2.36%

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

$27.6K RON 124.4K

$26.1K RON 117.7K

5.71%

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

$198 RON 894

$121 RON 545

64.03%

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

$8.71 RON 39.34

$9.53 RON 43.03

-8.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.07 RON 45.47

$13.11 RON 59.2

-23.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 RON 247

$42.20 RON 191

29.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.74 RON 116

$21.66 RON 97.8

18.84%

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 RON 39.46

$3.25 RON 14.68

168.92%

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

$648 RON 2,924

$462 RON 2,085

40.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K RON 68.5K

$7,059 RON 31.9K

115.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 RON 432

$27.74 RON 125

245.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 RON 182

$14.43 RON 65.1

179.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 RON 366

$41.29 RON 186

96.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 457

$66.4 RON 300

52.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 RON 3,171

$304 RON 1,372

131.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 RON 2,198

$224 RON 1,011

117.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 RON 5,162

$549 RON 2,477

108.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 RON 3,405

$408 RON 1,844

84.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 RON 18.2K

$1,934 RON 8,730

108.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 RON 10.5K

$1,396 RON 6,302

67.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,535 RON 6,931

$710 RON 3,206

116.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.75

1.04%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sfantu Gheorghe: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $702 in Bucharest and $304 in Sfantu Gheorghe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 116% 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: $60.0 in Bucharest vs $45.00 in Sfantu Gheorghe for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $194 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 71% in total monthly costs ($1,434 vs $839 including rent). Sfantu Gheorghe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 116% 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: $702 in Bucharest versus $304 in Sfantu Gheorghe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,434 per month in Bucharest versus $839 in Sfantu Gheorghe – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sfantu Gheorghe runs roughly 34% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $839 in Sfantu Gheorghe versus $1,434 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 71% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.