Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Slatina Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Slatina

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,397 in Bucharest versus $850 in Slatina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,105 in Bucharest versus $1,324 in Slatina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,814 in Bucharest versus $1,797 in Slatina.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 64% more expensive than in Slatina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Slatina is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.50 RON 71.1

$12.03 RON 55.2

28.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 RON 275

$31.90 RON 146

87.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 RON 34.58

$7.93 RON 36.40

-4.92%

Cappuccino

$3.72 RON 17.07

$2.69 RON 12.36

38.29%

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

$2.36 RON 10.82

$2.24 RON 10.26

5.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.55

$1.74 RON 7.99

32.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 RON 18.26

$1.73 RON 7.94

130.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 RON 20.70

$2.15 RON 9.86

109.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 RON 8.33

$1.50 RON 6.90

21.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 RON 6.62

$0.88 RON 4.03

63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.36

$1.79 RON 8.21

1.68%

Eggs

$3.94 RON 18.08

$2.64 RON 12.10

49.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.47 RON 43.44

$9.14 RON 41.94

3.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 RON 32.36

$4.10 RON 18.80

71.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 RON 55.8

$6.17 RON 28.31

97.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.11

$0.85 RON 3.92

56.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.68

$1.50 RON 6.90

11.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.51

$1.73 RON 7.93

-5.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 RON 12.83

$1.20 RON 5.50

133.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.86

$0.85 RON 3.92

-1.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.62

$0.90 RON 4.13

-12.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$0.88 RON 4.02

3.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.65 RON 2.97

53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.00 RON 32.12

$5.49 RON 25.20

27.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 RON 29.54

$3.28 RON 15.07

96.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.70

$1.26 RON 5.78

-1.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.99

$1.99 RON 9.12

-12.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.93

$0.81 RON 3.70

6.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.97 RON 101

$22.90 RON 105

-4.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.91

$0.70 RON 3.22

-10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.17

$0.66 RON 3.05

4.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 RON 30.66

$6.66 RON 30.54

0.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 RON 9.05

$1.46 RON 6.68

34.93%

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

$29.3K RON 134.6K

$29.5K RON 135.3K

-0.50%

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

$28.4K RON 130.4K

$27.3K RON 125.3K

4.07%

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

$192 RON 879

$110 RON 504

74.37%

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

$8.51 RON 39.03

$1.80 RON 8.28

372.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.09 RON 46.28

$9.35 RON 42.88

7.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 RON 244

$40.00 RON 184

32.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.78 RON 118

$21.28 RON 97.6

21.15%

Cinema Ticket

$8.57 RON 39.30

$10.15 RON 46.56

-15.57%

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

$664 RON 3,048

$468 RON 2,147

42.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K RON 69.3K

$7,286 RON 33.4K

107.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 RON 434

$54.0 RON 248

75.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 RON 188

$33.04 RON 152

23.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 RON 378

$70.2 RON 322

17.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 RON 455

$76.8 RON 352

29.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 RON 3,283

$218 RON 999

228.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 RON 2,158

$179 RON 823

162.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 RON 5,273

$369 RON 1,692

211.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 RON 3,389

$307 RON 1,407

140.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,881 RON 17.8K

$1,877 RON 8,610

106.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,277 RON 10.4K

$1,422 RON 6,525

60.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,484 RON 6,809

$905 RON 4,152

63.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

7.07

-4.38%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 15, 2026

Last update for Slatina: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Bucharest and $218 in Slatina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 64% 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 $32.00 in Slatina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $167 per month, with Slatina 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 Slatina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Slatina differ by about 64% in total monthly costs ($1,397 vs $850 including rent). Slatina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 64% 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: $716 in Bucharest versus $218 in Slatina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,397 per month in Bucharest versus $850 in Slatina – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Slatina runs roughly 4% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $850 in Slatina versus $1,397 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Slatina but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Slatina 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 Slatina 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 Slatina gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.