Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Sighisoara Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Sighisoara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,434 in Bucharest versus $994 in Sighisoara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,168 in Bucharest versus $1,604 in Sighisoara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,901 in Bucharest versus $2,214 in Sighisoara.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 44% more expensive than in Sighisoara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 4% above, Sighisoara is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.25 RON 64.4

$11.16 RON 50.4

27.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.5 RON 273

$39.19 RON 177

54.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 RON 33.98

$8.63 RON 38.97

-12.75%

Cappuccino

$3.72 RON 16.80

$2.27 RON 10.27

63.88%

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

$2.41 RON 10.89

$2.16 RON 9.73

11.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 RON 10.26

$2.49 RON 11.24

-8.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.09 RON 18.45

$2.23 RON 10.05

83.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 RON 19.52

$2.84 RON 12.84

52.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.04

$1.52 RON 6.88

17.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 RON 6.63

$1.29 RON 5.81

13.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.17

$1.57 RON 7.10

15.29%

Eggs

$3.82 RON 17.24

$3.53 RON 15.92

8.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 RON 42.84

$7.78 RON 35.13

21.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.95 RON 31.38

$7.64 RON 34.48

-9.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 RON 56.8

$7.69 RON 34.70

63.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 RON 5.99

$1.13 RON 5.08

17.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.43

$1.78 RON 8.05

-7.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.26

$1.84 RON 8.31

-12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.69 RON 12.15

$2.52 RON 11.37

6.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$0.80 RON 3.61

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.43

$1.04 RON 4.69

-26.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 RON 3.90

$1.01 RON 4.54

-14.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 RON 4.43

$1.08 RON 4.86

-9.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.92 RON 31.24

$5.48 RON 24.73

26.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.77 RON 30.56

$7.55 RON 34.10

-10.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.82

$1.28 RON 5.80

0.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.82

$1.86 RON 8.38

-6.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$0.64 RON 2.88

32.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.35 RON 101

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 RON 2.93

$0.91 RON 4.12

-28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.10

$1.02 RON 4.61

-32.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.84 RON 30.86

$9.04 RON 40.80

-24.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 RON 9.18

$1.74 RON 7.87

16.67%

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

$29.4K RON 132.8K

$29.9K RON 135.2K

-1.75%

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

$27.6K RON 124.4K

$25.8K RON 116.3K

6.96%

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

$198 RON 894

$63.4 RON 286

212.19%

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

$8.71 RON 39.34

$8.73 RON 39.40

-0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.07 RON 45.47

$8.77 RON 39.58

14.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 RON 247

$55.5 RON 250

-1.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.74 RON 116

Cinema Ticket

$8.74 RON 39.46

$10.15 RON 45.83

-13.89%

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

$648 RON 2,924

$616 RON 2,781

5.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K RON 68.5K

$10.0K RON 45.3K

51.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.7 RON 432

$94.9 RON 429

0.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.35 RON 182

$49.35 RON 223

-18.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 RON 366

$107 RON 484

-24.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 457

$114 RON 514

-11.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$702 RON 3,171

$339 RON 1,529

107.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 RON 2,198

$269 RON 1,216

80.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,143 RON 5,162

$564 RON 2,547

102.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$754 RON 3,405

$510 RON 2,303

47.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,032 RON 18.2K

$1,677 RON 7,570

140.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 RON 10.5K

$1,128 RON 5,090

106.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,535 RON 6,931

$616 RON 2,782

149.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.8

0.29%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sighisoara: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $702 in Bucharest and $339 in Sighisoara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 149% 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: $60.0 in Bucharest vs $39.00 in Sighisoara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $216 per month, with Sighisoara 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 Sighisoara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Sighisoara differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,434 vs $994 including rent). Sighisoara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 149% 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: $702 in Bucharest versus $339 in Sighisoara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Bucharest. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,434 per month in Bucharest versus $994 in Sighisoara – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $994 in Sighisoara versus $1,434 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sighisoara but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Sighisoara 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 Sighisoara 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 Sighisoara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.