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: $1,361 in Bucharest versus $983 in Sighisoara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Bucharest versus $1,516 in Sighisoara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,994 in Bucharest versus $2,049 in Sighisoara.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 62.3

$11.74 RON 53.8

15.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 RON 318

$39.89 RON 183

73.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 RON 37.61

$7.95 RON 36.46

3.14%

Cappuccino

$3.27 RON 15.01

$2.32 RON 10.64

40.95%

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

$2.31 RON 10.59

$2.36 RON 10.82

-2.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 RON 10.69

$1.75 RON 8.04

33.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RON 15.41

$2.27 RON 10.43

48.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 RON 17.62

$3.01 RON 13.82

27.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.14

$1.65 RON 7.56

7.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 RON 6.25

$1.30 RON 5.96

4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.86

$1.65 RON 7.56

16.97%

Eggs

$3.62 RON 16.61

$3.38 RON 15.48

7.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 RON 43.50

$8.26 RON 37.88

14.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 RON 31.44

$7.24 RON 33.20

-5.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 RON 56.2

$8.02 RON 36.76

52.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.38

$1.17 RON 5.35

18.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.80

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 8.05

$1.58 RON 7.23

11.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 RON 11.53

$2.40 RON 11.01

5.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.77

$0.78 RON 3.58

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.64

$0.93 RON 4.25

8.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.57

$1.08 RON 4.94

-7.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.32 RON 28.96

$5.80 RON 26.61

8.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 RON 29.13

$7.50 RON 34.40

-15.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 RON 5.85

$1.11 RON 5.07

15.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 RON 9.17

$2.05 RON 9.42

-2.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 RON 5.12

$0.66 RON 3.03

69.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.43 RON 89.1

$19.83 RON 90.9

-2.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 3.03

$1.01 RON 4.63

-34.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.77

$0.82 RON 3.74

-26.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 RON 31.20

$9.57 RON 43.89

-28.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.89

$1.68 RON 7.71

2.38%

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

$29.0K RON 133.2K

$27.5K RON 126.0K

5.67%

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

$29.9K RON 137.1K

$26.9K RON 123.5K

11.06%

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

$179 RON 819

$66.2 RON 304

169.78%

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

$8.77 RON 40.20

$8.73 RON 40.04

0.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.15 RON 51.1

$9.12 RON 41.81

22.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 RON 251

$41.58 RON 191

31.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.28 RON 134

$19.24 RON 88.2

52.18%

Cinema Ticket

$9.41 RON 43.16

$8.10 RON 37.16

16.17%

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

$668 RON 3,061

$486 RON 2,230

37.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K RON 66.0K

$10.7K RON 48.8K

35.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 RON 370

$69.7 RON 320

15.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.84 RON 206

$40.18 RON 184

11.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 RON 410

$83.7 RON 384

6.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 501

$101 RON 465

7.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 RON 3,015

$382 RON 1,752

72.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,983

$295 RON 1,353

46.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 RON 6,117

$585 RON 2,685

127.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 RON 3,929

$438 RON 2,008

95.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,890 RON 17.8K

$1,934 RON 8,870

101.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,171 RON 9,953

$1,416 RON 6,490

53.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,436 RON 6,583

$618 RON 2,834

132.27%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Sighisoara: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Bucharest and $382 in Sighisoara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 132% 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 $40.00 in Sighisoara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $214 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 ($1,361 vs $983 including rent). Sighisoara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 132% 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 $382 in Sighisoara. 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 $983 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 2% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $983 in Sighisoara versus $1,361 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.