Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Siofok

For one person, living is cheaper in Siofok: $1,248 a month against $1,340 in Bucharest, rent and utilities included – about $1,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Bucharest outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index
61

Cost of Living Index in Siofok
Learn more

Siofok Living Index

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Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,340

/mo nomad

Siofok

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,248

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bucharest and in Siofok

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bucharest and in Siofok actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,340 in Bucharest versus $1,248 in Siofok.

Bucharest $1,340
Siofok $1,248

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Bucharest versus $2,018 in Siofok.

Bucharest $2,037
Siofok $2,018

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,734 in Bucharest versus $2,788 in Siofok.

Bucharest $2,734
Siofok $2,788

Living in Bucharest is roughly 7% more expensive than in Siofok, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bucharest 1% lower, Siofok 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.49 RON 68.6

$21.24 Ft 6,863

-31.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 275

$52.9 Ft 17.1K

9.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 RON 35.40

$7.49 Ft 2,420

-0.13%

Cappuccino

$3.44 RON 16.29

$2.56 Ft 827

34.37%

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

$2.37 RON 11.22

$2.38 Ft 769

-0.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.88

$1.71 Ft 552

34.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 RON 17.51

$2.32 Ft 750

59.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 RON 19.69

$3.80 Ft 1,227

9.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.90

$1.32 Ft 426

26.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 RON 6.50

$1.31 Ft 423

4.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 RON 8.14

$2.09 Ft 676

-17.70%

Eggs

$3.64 RON 17.22

$3.63 Ft 1,174

0.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 RON 42.98

$8.82 Ft 2,849

2.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 RON 32.35

$5.60 Ft 1,809

22.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 RON 56.8

$16.42 Ft 5,305

-26.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.80

$1.68 Ft 544

-26.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.73

$2.07 Ft 670

-21.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.45

$2.09 Ft 674

-24.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 RON 12.01

$2.90 Ft 937

-12.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.75

$2.03 Ft 654

-61.08%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.66

$1.27 Ft 412

-39.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 4.13

$1.13 Ft 364

-23.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 RON 4.70

$0.60 Ft 195

65.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.31 RON 29.86

$7.29 Ft 2,356

-13.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.20 RON 29.34

$4.63 Ft 1,497

33.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 RON 5.63

$1.07 Ft 345

11.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 RON 7.45

$1.42 Ft 457

10.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 4.08

$1.23 Ft 399

-30.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.10 RON 99.8

$26.71 Ft 8,631

-21.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 3.05

$3.08 Ft 995

-79.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.86

$1.47 Ft 475

-59.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 RON 30.43

$17.49 Ft 5,650

-63.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 RON 9.25

$1.98 Ft 641

-1.01%

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

$29.0K RON 137.2K

$29.4K Ft 9.5M

-1.47%

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

$26.6K RON 126.0K

$33.4K Ft 10.8M

-20.36%

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

$196 RON 927

$152 Ft 49.2K

28.65%

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

$8.04 RON 38.04

$23.44 Ft 7,573

-65.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.35 RON 44.21

$20.84 Ft 6,732

-55.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 RON 238

$47.06 Ft 15.2K

6.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.33 RON 120

$18.74 Ft 6,053

35.17%

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 RON 38.55

$8.98 Ft 2,902

-9.24%

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

$628 RON 2,971

$248 Ft 80.1K

153.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K RON 66.6K

$7,616 Ft 2.5M

84.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.6 RON 424

$88.1 Ft 28.5K

1.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 RON 181

$32.17 Ft 10.4K

19.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 RON 375

$86.3 Ft 27.9K

-8.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 RON 428

$104 Ft 33.5K

-12.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 RON 3,209

$379 Ft 122.5K

78.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,121

$312 Ft 100.8K

43.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 RON 5,125

$753 Ft 243.2K

43.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 RON 3,430

$657 Ft 212.3K

10.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,751 RON 17.7K

$3,300 Ft 1.1M

13.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,195 RON 10.4K

$2,674 Ft 863.8K

-17.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,329 RON 6,290

$1,115 Ft 360.2K

19.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

-25.00%

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

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Last update for Siofok: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bucharest

$448 33.5%

Siofok

$312 25% 30.4% $136

Eating Out

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Siofok

$259 20.7% 14.9% $33

Groceries & Markets

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Siofok

$234 18.8% 4.2% $9.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bucharest

$213 15.9%

Siofok

$197 15.7% 7.9% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Bucharest

$134 10%

Siofok

$140 11.2% 4.3% $5.7

Sport & Entertainment

Bucharest

$67 5%

Siofok

$65 5.2% 2.3% $1.5

Getting Around

Bucharest

$28 2.1%

Siofok

$42 3.4% 49.2% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $678 in Bucharest and $379 in Siofok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 19% 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: $58.0 in Bucharest vs $53.0 in Siofok. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $234, with Bucharest cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🇭🇺 Siofok

🕒 Local time

23:40 11:40 PM

22:40 10:40 PM

1 h behind Bucharest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,883,425 Capital

24,021

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇴 Romanian Leu (lei)

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

USD to RON in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bucharest Siofok 680 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Bucharest
Siofok

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Siofok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Siofok differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,340 vs $1,248 including rent). Siofok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 19% 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: $678 in Bucharest versus $379 in Siofok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,340 per month in Bucharest versus $1,248 in Siofok – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Siofok runs roughly 27% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,248 in Siofok versus $1,340 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Siofok but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Siofok 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 Siofok 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 Siofok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.