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: $1,430 in Bucharest versus $1,178 in Sibiu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,131 in Bucharest versus $1,732 in Sibiu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Bucharest versus $2,285 in Sibiu.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 21% more expensive than in Sibiu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 4% above, Sibiu is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.63 RON 70.6

$8.74 RON 39.48

78.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.3 RON 281

$43.54 RON 197

42.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 RON 35.46

$7.95 RON 35.89

-1.26%

Cappuccino

$3.63 RON 16.38

$3.27 RON 14.75

11.01%

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

$2.48 RON 11.18

$2.16 RON 9.75

14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 RON 10.65

$1.89 RON 8.54

24.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.92 RON 17.71

$3.38 RON 15.28

15.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.50 RON 20.32

$3.97 RON 17.94

13.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 RON 8.12

$1.45 RON 6.56

24.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.36

$1.19 RON 5.38

18.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.04

$1.45 RON 6.55

22.76%

Eggs

$3.88 RON 17.51

$3.68 RON 16.62

5.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 RON 43.42

$8.52 RON 38.49

12.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.16 RON 32.33

$6.36 RON 28.71

12.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.25 RON 55.3

$8.22 RON 37.13

49.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 RON 5.93

$1.22 RON 5.52

7.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.66

$1.56 RON 7.06

8.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.35

$1.52 RON 6.87

7.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.78 RON 12.54

$2.73 RON 12.33

1.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.70 RON 3.18

22.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 RON 3.36

$0.68 RON 3.06

8.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 RON 4.25

$1.04 RON 4.68

-9.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 RON 4.40

$0.92 RON 4.17

5.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.87 RON 31.03

$6.23 RON 28.13

10.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.66 RON 30.07

$7.85 RON 35.47

-15.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 RON 5.67

$0.95 RON 4.28

32.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.81

$1.47 RON 6.64

17.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RON 4.86

$0.79 RON 3.59

36.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.84 RON 98.6

$18.07 RON 81.6

20.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 2.88

$1.00 RON 4.52

-36.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 RON 3.08

$0.90 RON 4.07

-24.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.46 RON 29.20

$8.64 RON 39.01

-25.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 RON 8.96

$1.85 RON 8.35

7.03%

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

$29.4K RON 132.6K

$30.1K RON 135.9K

-2.38%

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

$27.8K RON 125.7K

$26.6K RON 120.0K

4.75%

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

$204 RON 920

$119 RON 540

70.56%

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

$8.53 RON 38.53

$9.48 RON 42.80

-10.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.87 RON 44.58

$12.69 RON 57.3

-22.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$36.45 RON 165

50.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.58 RON 116

$14.68 RON 66.3

74.25%

Cinema Ticket

$8.86 RON 40.02

$7.12 RON 32.15

24.44%

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

$663 RON 2,995

$455 RON 2,055

45.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.3K RON 69.0K

$6,957 RON 31.4K

119.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.2 RON 430

$79.6 RON 360

19.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.99 RON 185

$34.09 RON 154

20.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 RON 373

$92.3 RON 417

-10.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 454

$92.6 RON 418

8.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 RON 3,206

$458 RON 2,071

54.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$490 RON 2,215

$431 RON 1,947

13.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 RON 5,103

$859 RON 3,880

31.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$759 RON 3,428

$631 RON 2,848

20.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,914 RON 17.7K

$2,524 RON 11.4K

55.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,317 RON 10.5K

$2,150 RON 9,709

7.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,486 RON 6,711

$1,161 RON 5,245

27.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

7.02

-2.71%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 1, 2026

Last update for Sibiu: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $710 in Bucharest and $458 in Sibiu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 28% 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: $62.0 in Bucharest vs $44.00 in Sibiu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 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 21% in total monthly costs ($1,430 vs $1,178 including rent). Sibiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 28% 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: $710 in Bucharest versus $458 in Sibiu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,430 per month in Bucharest versus $1,178 in Sibiu – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sibiu runs roughly 21% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,178 in Sibiu versus $1,430 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 21% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.