Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Sibiu Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Sibiu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,362 in Bucharest versus $1,074 in Sibiu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,133 in Bucharest versus $1,655 in Sibiu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Bucharest versus $2,236 in Sibiu.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 27% more expensive than in Sibiu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Sibiu is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 RON 64.6

$9.30 RON 42.64

51.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 RON 316

$45.72 RON 210

50.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 37.04

$6.98 RON 32.00

15.76%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.55

$3.11 RON 14.27

9.00%

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

$2.24 RON 10.28

$2.07 RON 9.49

8.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.09

$1.71 RON 7.86

41.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.52

$2.82 RON 12.94

19.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 RON 17.57

$3.42 RON 15.67

11.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.88

$1.51 RON 6.95

13.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$1.26 RON 5.76

7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.41

$1.54 RON 7.08

18.83%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.72

$3.22 RON 14.79

13.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 RON 42.31

$7.88 RON 36.13

17.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.43

$6.34 RON 29.09

8.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 RON 55.2

$9.11 RON 41.76

32.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.15

$1.16 RON 5.31

15.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.57 RON 7.19

9.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$1.65 RON 7.56

10.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.97

$2.21 RON 10.15

8.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$0.77 RON 3.53

35.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.67

$0.87 RON 4.01

17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.49

$1.05 RON 4.82

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.86 RON 3.96

10.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 RON 29.33

$5.90 RON 27.07

8.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 RON 29.81

$8.32 RON 38.18

-21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.68

$0.99 RON 4.54

25.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.86

$1.80 RON 8.25

7.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 RON 5.21

$0.72 RON 3.28

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.82 RON 90.9

$19.78 RON 90.7

0.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.27

$0.90 RON 4.15

-21.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.99

$0.83 RON 3.78

-21.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 RON 31.79

$9.11 RON 41.80

-23.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.59

$1.65 RON 7.59

0.61%

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

$29.0K RON 132.8K

$28.4K RON 130.4K

1.84%

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

$30.1K RON 137.9K

$26.4K RON 121.1K

13.85%

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

$183 RON 841

$140 RON 642

31.04%

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

$8.95 RON 41.05

$8.87 RON 40.68

0.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 51.0

$11.42 RON 52.4

-2.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 RON 249

$40.55 RON 186

34.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 RON 135

$15.36 RON 70.5

91.99%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 RON 41.88

$7.11 RON 32.60

28.41%

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

$676 RON 3,102

$437 RON 2,005

54.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 65.7K

$6,874 RON 31.5K

108.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 RON 372

$67.9 RON 312

19.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 RON 204

$38.54 RON 177

15.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 RON 412

$85.1 RON 390

5.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 496

$94.4 RON 433

14.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 3,036

$376 RON 1,725

76.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 2,021

$323 RON 1,481

36.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 6,202

$690 RON 3,166

95.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 RON 3,892

$558 RON 2,561

51.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,777 RON 17.3K

$2,531 RON 11.6K

49.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 RON 10.2K

$2,061 RON 9,451

8.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,457

$1,147 RON 5,261

22.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.5

9.23%

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

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sibiu: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $376 in Sibiu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 23% 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 $46.00 in Sibiu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $206 per month, with Sibiu 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 Sibiu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Sibiu differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $1,074 including rent). Sibiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 23% 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: $662 in Bucharest versus $376 in Sibiu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,362 per month in Bucharest versus $1,074 in Sibiu – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sibiu runs roughly 0% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,074 in Sibiu versus $1,362 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sibiu but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Sibiu 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 Sibiu 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 Sibiu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.