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: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,087 in Sibiu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,653 in Sibiu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $2,219 in Sibiu.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 23% more expensive than Sibiu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Sibiu is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$9.02 RON 40.76

50.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$46.09 RON 208

47.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$7.01 RON 31.68

14.84%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$3.10 RON 14.00

9.68%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$2.08 RON 9.39

11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$1.73 RON 7.82

37.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$2.74 RON 12.39

29.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$3.50 RON 15.82

14.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.50 RON 6.77

16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$1.21 RON 5.48

17.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.60 RON 7.21

20.62%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$3.24 RON 14.65

9.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$7.77 RON 35.12

19.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$6.22 RON 28.11

14.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$8.97 RON 40.55

36.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$1.17 RON 5.27

15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.52 RON 6.88

14.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.72 RON 7.79

2.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$2.15 RON 9.70

11.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$0.82 RON 3.70

28.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$0.86 RON 3.91

11.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$1.03 RON 4.64

-10.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.93 RON 4.20

-2.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$5.87 RON 26.52

8.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$8.48 RON 38.35

-23.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.02 RON 4.62

19.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.78 RON 8.06

11.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.71 RON 3.20

63.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$19.74 RON 89.2

-1.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.88 RON 3.96

-18.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

$0.87 RON 3.92

-28.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$9.08 RON 41.04

-23.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.66 RON 7.49

3.01%

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

$29.0K RON 131.0K

$27.7K RON 125.2K

4.65%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$26.3K RON 118.8K

15.28%

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

$178 RON 803

$142 RON 644

24.74%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$8.78 RON 39.70

4.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$11.43 RON 51.7

-2.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$41.14 RON 186

32.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$15.52 RON 70.1

87.11%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$6.71 RON 30.34

38.15%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$423 RON 1,912

60.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$6,959 RON 31.5K

113.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$67.6 RON 306

18.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$38.54 RON 174

17.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$82.0 RON 371

8.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$94.5 RON 427

15.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$370 RON 1,672

78.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$326 RON 1,473

32.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$704 RON 3,180

92.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$572 RON 2,587

46.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$2,513 RON 11.4K

53.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$2,088 RON 9,439

10.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

$1,157 RON 5,231

26.45%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sibiu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $370 in Sibiu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 26% 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: $68.0 in Bucharest vs $46.00 in Sibiu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $205 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 23% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $1,087 including rent). Sibiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 26% 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: $662 in Bucharest versus $370 in Sibiu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,336 per month in Bucharest versus $1,087 in Sibiu – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,087 in Sibiu versus $1,336 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 23% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.