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: $1,355 in Bucharest versus $986 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Bucharest versus $1,435 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,918 in Bucharest versus $1,885 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 37% more expensive than Sighetu Marmatiei, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 1% above, Sighetu Marmatiei is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 58.9

$6.93 RON 30.06

95.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 RON 301

$22.76 RON 98.8

205.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 RON 34.84

$6.53 RON 28.34

22.97%

Cappuccino

$3.42 RON 14.86

$1.90 RON 8.25

80.00%

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

$2.33 RON 10.13

$2.00 RON 8.70

16.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 RON 10.09

$1.59 RON 6.89

45.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 RON 15.21

$2.04 RON 8.86

72.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 RON 16.60

$3.02 RON 13.11

26.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.41

$1.24 RON 5.39

37.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.13

$1.14 RON 4.96

23.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 7.95

$1.97 RON 8.56

-7.11%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.29

$2.85 RON 12.38

23.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 RON 40.90

$8.37 RON 36.34

12.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.09 RON 30.77

$6.89 RON 29.89

2.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 53.3

$11.42 RON 49.58

7.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 5.82

$0.97 RON 4.22

38.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.47

$1.57 RON 6.83

9.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 RON 7.67

$1.44 RON 6.24

22.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.37

$1.94 RON 8.40

23.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.52

$0.76 RON 3.31

36.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.25

$1.10 RON 4.77

-10.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 RON 4.04

$1.01 RON 4.38

-7.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.18

$0.63 RON 2.74

52.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 27.26

$5.68 RON 24.65

10.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 RON 31.42

$6.75 RON 29.31

7.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.37

$0.94 RON 4.07

31.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 RON 8.76

$1.54 RON 6.68

31.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 RON 5.11

$0.71 RON 3.06

66.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.62 RON 85.2

$20.03 RON 86.9

-2.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 2.88

$1.13 RON 4.90

-41.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.62

$0.81 RON 3.54

-25.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.08 RON 30.74

$6.76 RON 29.36

4.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.23

$1.60 RON 6.95

4.37%

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

$28.4K RON 123.3K

$28.5K RON 123.8K

-0.42%

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

$30.5K RON 132.2K

$26.2K RON 113.5K

16.44%

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

$182 RON 791

$160 RON 695

13.85%

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

$8.93 RON 38.74

$8.02 RON 34.81

11.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.15 RON 48.37

$9.78 RON 42.44

14.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 RON 235

$41.81 RON 181

29.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.96 RON 126

$18.84 RON 81.8

53.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 RON 39.89

$4.50 RON 19.55

104.22%

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

$662 RON 2,873

$308 RON 1,337

114.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K RON 62.7K

$10.0K RON 43.4K

44.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.5 RON 345

$37.46 RON 163

112.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.22 RON 196

$30.50 RON 132

48.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 RON 395

$72.8 RON 316

25.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 RON 477

$73.1 RON 317

50.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 RON 2,869

$393 RON 1,704

68.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 RON 1,863

$293 RON 1,270

46.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 5,869

$589 RON 2,557

129.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 RON 3,691

$435 RON 1,886

95.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,026 RON 17.5K

$2,054 RON 8,915

95.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 RON 9,911

$1,579 RON 6,855

44.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,522 RON 6,605

$574 RON 2,491

165.16%

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Sighetu Marmatiei: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Bucharest and $393 in Sighetu Marmatiei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 165% 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 in Bucharest vs $23 in Sighetu Marmatiei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $204 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 37% in total monthly costs ($1,355 vs $986 including rent). Sighetu Marmatiei is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 165% 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: $661 in Bucharest versus $393 in Sighetu Marmatiei. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,355 per month in Bucharest versus $986 in Sighetu Marmatiei – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sighetu Marmatiei runs roughly 2% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $986 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $1,355 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 37% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.