Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Stara Pazova

For one person, living is cheaper in Stara Pazova: $1,031 a month against $1,340 in Bucharest, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Stara Pazova
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Stara Pazova Living Index

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Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,340

/mo nomad

Stara Pazova

🇷🇸 Serbia

$1,031

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bucharest and in Stara Pazova

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 Stara Pazova actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,340 in Bucharest versus $1,031 in Stara Pazova.

Bucharest $1,340
Stara Pazova $1,031

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Bucharest versus $1,519 in Stara Pazova.

Bucharest $2,037
Stara Pazova $1,519

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,734 in Bucharest versus $2,007 in Stara Pazova.

Bucharest $2,734
Stara Pazova $2,007

Living in Bucharest is roughly 30% more expensive than in Stara Pazova, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bucharest 1% lower, Stara Pazova 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.49 RON 68.6

$10.63 RSD 1,108

36.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 275

$33.06 RSD 3,446

75.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 RON 35.40

$7.20 RSD 750

3.89%

Cappuccino

$3.44 RON 16.29

$1.99 RSD 207

72.86%

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

$2.37 RON 11.22

$1.78 RSD 186

33.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.88

$1.12 RSD 117

105.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.70 RON 17.51

$2.07 RSD 215

78.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.16 RON 19.69

$2.61 RSD 272

59.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.90

$1.30 RSD 136

28.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.37 RON 6.50

$0.58 RSD 60.5

136.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 RON 8.14

$1.93 RSD 201

-10.88%

Eggs

$3.64 RON 17.22

$2.56 RSD 267

42.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 RON 42.98

$9.95 RSD 1,037

-8.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.84 RON 32.35

$6.45 RSD 672

6.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 RON 56.8

$11.31 RSD 1,179

6.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.80

$0.96 RSD 99.8

28.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.73

$1.59 RSD 166

2.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.45

$1.69 RSD 176

-7.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 RON 12.01

$2.03 RSD 212

25.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.75

$0.93 RSD 97.1

-15.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.66

$0.97 RSD 101

-20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 4.13

$0.53 RSD 55.7

64.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 RON 4.70

$0.59 RSD 61.8

67.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.31 RON 29.86

$4.32 RSD 451

46.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.20 RON 29.34

$5.17 RSD 539

19.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 RON 5.63

$0.87 RSD 90.6

36.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 RON 7.45

$1.23 RSD 129

27.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 4.08

$0.99 RSD 103

-13.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.10 RON 99.8

$23.93 RSD 2,495

-11.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 3.05

$1.45 RSD 151

-55.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.86

$0.99 RSD 103

-39.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.43 RON 30.43

$5.27 RSD 549

22.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 RON 9.25

$1.73 RSD 180

13.29%

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

$29.0K RON 137.2K

$30.0K RSD 3.1M

-3.28%

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

$26.6K RON 126.0K

$25.9K RSD 2.7M

2.76%

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

$196 RON 927

$184 RSD 19.2K

6.42%

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

$8.04 RON 38.04

$20.12 RSD 2,097

-60.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.35 RON 44.21

$25.20 RSD 2,627

-62.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.2 RON 238

$28.95 RSD 3,018

73.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.33 RON 120

$16.62 RSD 1,733

52.41%

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 RON 38.55

$4.29 RSD 447

89.98%

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

$628 RON 2,971

$178 RSD 18.5K

253.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.1K RON 66.6K

$3,815 RSD 397.7K

269.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.6 RON 424

$53.1 RSD 5,531

68.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 RON 181

$16.62 RSD 1,733

130.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 RON 375

$87.0 RSD 9,065

-8.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 RON 428

$117 RSD 12.2K

-22.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$678 RON 3,209

$311 RSD 32.4K

117.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,121

$254 RSD 26.5K

76.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,083 RON 5,125

$428 RSD 44.7K

152.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$725 RON 3,430

$375 RSD 39.1K

93.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,751 RON 17.7K

$1,466 RSD 152.9K

155.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,195 RON 10.4K

$1,174 RSD 122.4K

86.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,329 RON 6,290

$625 RSD 65.1K

112.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

4.84

39.46%

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

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Last update for Stara Pazova: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bucharest

$448 33.5%

Stara Pazova

$254 24.6% 43.4% $194

Eating Out

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Stara Pazova

$158 15.3% 30% $68

Groceries & Markets

Bucharest

$225 16.8%

Stara Pazova

$195 18.9% 13.3% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bucharest

$213 15.9%

Stara Pazova

$229 22.2% 7.6% $16

Clothing & Footwear

Bucharest

$134 10%

Stara Pazova

$123 12% 8% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Bucharest

$67 5%

Stara Pazova

$38 3.6% 43.6% $29

Getting Around

Bucharest

$28 2.1%

Stara Pazova

$34 3.3% 21.5% $6.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $678 in Bucharest and $311 in Stara Pazova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 113% 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 $33.00 in Stara Pazova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $195 per month, with Stara Pazova cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🇷🇸 Stara Pazova

🕒 Local time

05:56 5:56 AM

04:56 4:56 AM

1 h behind Bucharest

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,883,425 Capital

18,522

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

Serbian Dinar RSD din

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

1,000 RSD = 9.59 USD

1,000 RSD = 8.53 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RSD, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇴 Romanian Leu (lei)

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

Serbian Dinar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 104 RSD (1,000 RSD = 9.59 USD). 1 EUR = 117 RSD (1,000 RSD = 8.53 EUR).

USD to RON in detail →

On the map

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Bucharest Stara Pazova 470 km

From you

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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 Stara Pazova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Stara Pazova differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,340 vs $1,031 including rent). Stara Pazova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 113% 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 $311 in Stara Pazova. 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 $1,031 in Stara Pazova – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Stara Pazova runs roughly 13% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Stara Pazova versus $1,340 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Stara Pazova but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Stara Pazova 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 Stara Pazova 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 Stara Pazova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.