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: $1,331 in Bucharest versus $989 in Sighisoara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,166 in Bucharest versus $1,542 in Sighisoara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,000 in Bucharest versus $2,096 in Sighisoara.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 35% more expensive than Sighisoara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bucharest 1% lower, Sighisoara 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.87 RON 63.0

$11.73 RON 53.3

18.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 RON 318

$40.70 RON 185

71.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.23 RON 37.37

$8.07 RON 36.65

1.98%

Cappuccino

$3.45 RON 15.65

$2.27 RON 10.32

51.98%

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

$2.33 RON 10.58

$2.28 RON 10.36

2.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 RON 10.51

$1.73 RON 7.85

33.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 RON 15.94

$2.28 RON 10.33

53.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 RON 17.22

$2.97 RON 13.47

27.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.09

$1.58 RON 7.19

12.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 RON 6.49

$1.30 RON 5.88

10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.31

$1.65 RON 7.49

10.91%

Eggs

$3.53 RON 16.04

$3.29 RON 14.93

7.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 RON 43.62

$7.92 RON 35.93

21.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.92 RON 31.39

$7.14 RON 32.43

-3.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 RON 55.7

$7.85 RON 35.61

56.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.32

$1.12 RON 5.07

24.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.79

$1.78 RON 8.07

-3.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 RON 7.95

$1.63 RON 7.42

7.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.89

$2.32 RON 10.53

3.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.71

$0.79 RON 3.58

31.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.38

$0.91 RON 4.12

5.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.47

$1.08 RON 4.88

-9.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.13

$0.88 RON 4.00

3.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.35 RON 28.83

$5.84 RON 26.49

8.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.62 RON 30.05

$7.74 RON 35.13

-14.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.56

$1.13 RON 5.12

7.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.11

$1.99 RON 9.02

1.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 RON 5.07

$0.70 RON 3.19

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.94 RON 90.5

$20.03 RON 90.9

-0.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.70 RON 3.20

$1.00 RON 4.53

-30.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 RON 2.98

$0.80 RON 3.62

-17.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 RON 30.85

$9.55 RON 43.34

-28.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 RON 7.84

$1.64 RON 7.45

5.49%

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

$29.1K RON 132.0K

$28.5K RON 129.3K

2.11%

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

$30.4K RON 137.9K

$26.4K RON 119.7K

15.25%

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

$178 RON 807

$66.4 RON 301

167.86%

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

$9.16 RON 41.60

$9.01 RON 40.92

1.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.22 RON 50.9

$9.03 RON 40.99

24.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 RON 251

$41.21 RON 187

34.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.55 RON 134

$19.34 RON 87.8

52.79%

Cinema Ticket

$8.96 RON 40.66

$7.83 RON 35.55

14.43%

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

$657 RON 2,984

$479 RON 2,173

37.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K RON 66.0K

$10.6K RON 48.0K

37.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.4 RON 370

$68.9 RON 313

18.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.88 RON 208

$39.65 RON 180

15.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 RON 406

$86.4 RON 392

3.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 497

$98.7 RON 448

10.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$644 RON 2,925

$390 RON 1,769

65.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 RON 2,014

$292 RON 1,327

51.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,343 RON 6,095

$594 RON 2,698

125.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$847 RON 3,847

$436 RON 1,978

94.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,941 RON 17.9K

$1,908 RON 8,661

106.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,248 RON 10.2K

$1,365 RON 6,196

64.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,425 RON 6,467

$625 RON 2,837

127.90%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sighisoara: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $644 in Bucharest and $390 in Sighisoara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 128% 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: $70.0 in Bucharest vs $41.00 in Sighisoara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $210 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 35% in total monthly costs ($1,331 vs $989 including rent). Sighisoara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 128% 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: $644 in Bucharest versus $390 in Sighisoara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,331 per month in Bucharest versus $989 in Sighisoara – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sighisoara runs roughly 0% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $989 in Sighisoara versus $1,331 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 35% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.