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: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $861 in Slatina.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,357 in Slatina.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $1,852 in Slatina.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 55% more expensive than Slatina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Slatina is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$12.17 RON 55.0

11.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$34.03 RON 154

100.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$7.97 RON 36.03

1.00%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$2.75 RON 12.41

23.64%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$1.95 RON 8.80

18.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$1.81 RON 8.17

31.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$1.83 RON 8.25

93.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$2.34 RON 10.60

71.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.54 RON 6.97

12.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$0.96 RON 4.35

47.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.84 RON 8.33

4.89%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$2.68 RON 12.13

32.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$8.56 RON 38.69

8.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$4.35 RON 19.66

63.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$6.30 RON 28.49

94.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$0.96 RON 4.34

40.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.58 RON 7.14

10.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.61 RON 7.26

9.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$1.24 RON 5.62

93.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$1.01 RON 4.58

3.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$0.89 RON 4.01

7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.95 RON 4.29

-3.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.67 RON 3.02

35.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$5.60 RON 25.32

13.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$3.25 RON 14.69

98.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.10 RON 4.96

10.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.66 RON 7.49

19.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.44 RON 1.98

163.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$18.73 RON 84.7

4.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

$0.65 RON 2.94

-4.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$7.02 RON 31.74

-1.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.51 RON 6.84

13.25%

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

$29.0K RON 131.0K

$28.5K RON 128.9K

1.65%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$27.5K RON 124.5K

10.00%

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

$178 RON 803

$117 RON 527

52.51%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$1.86 RON 8.40

392.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$9.21 RON 41.63

20.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$41.41 RON 187

32.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$18.20 RON 82.3

59.56%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$10.78 RON 48.74

-14.01%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$446 RON 2,016

51.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$6,468 RON 29.2K

129.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$68.0 RON 308

17.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$34.26 RON 155

32.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$73.6 RON 333

21.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$79.3 RON 359

37.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$229 RON 1,035

189.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$186 RON 839

132.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$387 RON 1,751

249.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$318 RON 1,437

164.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$1,631 RON 7,374

136.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$1,343 RON 6,070

71.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

$905 RON 4,092

61.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

6.5

9.23%

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

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Last update for Slatina: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $229 in Slatina. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 62% 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: $68.0 in Bucharest vs $34.00 in Slatina for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $168 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 55% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $861 including rent). Slatina is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 62% 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: $662 in Bucharest versus $229 in Slatina. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,336 per month in Bucharest versus $861 in Slatina – a 55% 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 $861 in Slatina versus $1,336 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 55% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.