Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Sighetu Marmatiei Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Sighetu Marmatiei

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,361 in Bucharest versus $985 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Bucharest versus $1,413 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,994 in Bucharest versus $1,841 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 38% more expensive than in Sighetu Marmatiei, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Sighetu Marmatiei is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 62.3

$7.10 RON 32.55

91.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 RON 318

$22.92 RON 105

202.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 RON 37.63

$6.47 RON 29.70

26.74%

Cappuccino

$3.27 RON 15.01

$1.87 RON 8.58

74.87%

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

$2.31 RON 10.59

$1.99 RON 9.12

16.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 RON 10.69

$1.58 RON 7.26

47.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RON 15.42

$2.12 RON 9.70

58.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 RON 17.63

$2.92 RON 13.41

31.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.15

$1.23 RON 5.62

44.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 RON 6.26

$1.19 RON 5.47

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.87

$1.97 RON 9.02

-2.03%

Eggs

$3.62 RON 16.62

$2.86 RON 13.10

26.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 RON 43.52

$8.48 RON 38.90

11.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 RON 31.46

$6.97 RON 31.98

-1.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 RON 56.3

$11.52 RON 52.8

6.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.39

$0.97 RON 4.44

43.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.81

$1.52 RON 6.95

11.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 8.05

$1.44 RON 6.61

22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 RON 11.54

$1.88 RON 8.61

34.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.77

$0.76 RON 3.51

36.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.64

$1.06 RON 4.85

-4.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.57

$0.99 RON 4.55

1.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.38

$0.65 RON 2.98

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.32 RON 28.97

$5.40 RON 24.76

17.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 RON 29.15

$5.87 RON 26.92

8.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 RON 5.86

$0.94 RON 4.30

36.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 RON 9.17

$1.48 RON 6.79

35.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 RON 5.12

$0.67 RON 3.06

67.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.43 RON 89.1

$20.01 RON 91.8

-2.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 3.03

$1.12 RON 5.14

-41.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.77

$0.76 RON 3.47

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 RON 31.22

$6.92 RON 31.76

-1.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.58 RON 7.23

8.86%

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

$29.0K RON 133.3K

$28.0K RON 128.3K

3.84%

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

$29.9K RON 137.2K

$26.3K RON 120.6K

13.74%

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

$179 RON 819

$162 RON 742

10.48%

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

$8.77 RON 40.22

$7.74 RON 35.52

13.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.15 RON 51.1

$9.45 RON 43.36

17.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 RON 251

$42.11 RON 193

30.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.28 RON 134

$19.36 RON 88.8

51.24%

Cinema Ticket

$9.41 RON 43.19

$4.72 RON 21.67

99.36%

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

$668 RON 3,063

$310 RON 1,423

115.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K RON 66.1K

$9,804 RON 45.0K

46.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 RON 370

$38.01 RON 174

112.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.84 RON 206

$30.45 RON 140

47.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 RON 410

$73.9 RON 339

20.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 501

$73.6 RON 337

48.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 RON 3,016

$388 RON 1,781

69.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,984

$285 RON 1,306

51.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 RON 6,121

$581 RON 2,666

129.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 RON 3,932

$435 RON 1,997

96.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,890 RON 17.8K

$1,963 RON 9,006

98.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,171 RON 9,958

$1,233 RON 5,654

76.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,436 RON 6,587

$549 RON 2,517

161.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

7.11

-0.14%

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

Last update for Bucharest: July 21, 2026

Last update for Sighetu Marmatiei: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Bucharest and $388 in Sighetu Marmatiei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 162% 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 $23.00 in Sighetu Marmatiei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $203 per month, with Sighetu Marmatiei 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 Sighetu Marmatiei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Sighetu Marmatiei differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($1,361 vs $985 including rent). Sighetu Marmatiei is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 162% 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 $388 in Sighetu Marmatiei. 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 $985 in Sighetu Marmatiei – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $985 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $1,361 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sighetu Marmatiei but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Sighetu Marmatiei 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 Sighetu Marmatiei 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 Sighetu Marmatiei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.