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: $1,355 in Bucharest versus $980 in Sighisoara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Bucharest versus $1,515 in Sighisoara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,918 in Bucharest versus $2,050 in Sighisoara.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 1% above, Sighisoara is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 58.9

$11.53 RON 50.1

17.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 RON 301

$39.73 RON 172

74.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 RON 34.84

$8.00 RON 34.71

0.37%

Cappuccino

$3.42 RON 14.86

$2.28 RON 9.89

50.00%

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

$2.33 RON 10.13

$2.26 RON 9.82

3.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 RON 10.09

$1.68 RON 7.27

38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 RON 15.21

$2.26 RON 9.83

55.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 RON 16.60

$2.97 RON 12.87

28.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.41

$1.57 RON 6.82

8.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.13

$1.31 RON 5.67

7.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 7.95

$1.57 RON 6.80

16.56%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.29

$3.29 RON 14.30

6.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 RON 40.90

$8.26 RON 35.84

14.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.09 RON 30.77

$7.06 RON 30.65

0.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 53.3

$7.96 RON 34.55

54.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 5.82

$1.16 RON 5.03

15.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.47

$1.79 RON 7.75

-3.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 RON 7.67

$1.59 RON 6.88

11.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.37

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.52

$0.80 RON 3.46

30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.25

$0.98 RON 4.26

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 RON 4.04

$1.05 RON 4.54

-11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.18

$0.95 RON 4.10

1.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 27.26

$5.61 RON 24.34

11.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 RON 31.42

$7.63 RON 33.10

-5.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.37

$1.11 RON 4.84

11.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 RON 8.76

$1.98 RON 8.57

2.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 RON 5.11

$0.71 RON 3.08

66.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.62 RON 85.2

$19.82 RON 86.0

-1.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 2.88

$0.94 RON 4.06

-29.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.62

$0.80 RON 3.46

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.08 RON 30.74

$9.06 RON 39.33

-21.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.23

$1.68 RON 7.30

-0.60%

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

$28.4K RON 123.3K

$27.6K RON 119.9K

2.83%

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

$30.5K RON 132.2K

$26.9K RON 116.7K

13.25%

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

$182 RON 791

$65.2 RON 283

179.51%

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

$8.93 RON 38.74

$9.20 RON 39.92

-2.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.15 RON 48.37

$9.00 RON 39.08

23.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 RON 235

$41.54 RON 180

30.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.96 RON 126

$19.11 RON 82.9

51.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 RON 39.89

$7.99 RON 34.66

15.02%

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

$662 RON 2,873

$486 RON 2,109

36.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K RON 62.7K

$10.8K RON 46.7K

34.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.5 RON 345

$69.6 RON 302

14.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.22 RON 196

$39.60 RON 172

14.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 RON 395

$84.9 RON 368

7.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 RON 477

$100 RON 434

9.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 RON 2,869

$388 RON 1,683

70.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 RON 1,863

$289 RON 1,255

48.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 5,869

$578 RON 2,508

133.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 RON 3,691

$445 RON 1,933

91.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,026 RON 17.5K

$1,819 RON 7,894

121.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 RON 9,911

$1,405 RON 6,097

62.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,522 RON 6,605

$645 RON 2,798

136.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

5.85

21.37%

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

Last update for Bucharest: April 22, 2026

Last update for Sighisoara: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Bucharest and $388 in Sighisoara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 136% 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 $40 in Sighisoara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $212 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 38% in total monthly costs ($1,355 vs $980 including rent). Sighisoara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 136% 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 $388 in Sighisoara. 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 $980 in Sighisoara – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $980 in Sighisoara versus $1,355 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 38% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.