Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Targoviste Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Targoviste

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,397 in Bucharest versus $964 in Targoviste.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,105 in Bucharest versus $1,409 in Targoviste.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,814 in Bucharest versus $1,854 in Targoviste.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 45% more expensive than in Targoviste, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Targoviste is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.50 RON 71.1

$7.69 RON 35.29

101.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 RON 275

$27.08 RON 124

121.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 RON 34.58

$6.58 RON 30.18

14.59%

Cappuccino

$3.72 RON 17.07

$2.19 RON 10.03

69.86%

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

$2.36 RON 10.82

$1.44 RON 6.62

63.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.55

$1.39 RON 6.36

65.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 RON 18.26

$2.19 RON 10.03

81.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 RON 20.70

$2.83 RON 12.97

59.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 RON 8.33

$1.34 RON 6.13

35.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 RON 6.62

$0.91 RON 4.18

58.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.36

$1.51 RON 6.92

20.53%

Eggs

$3.94 RON 18.08

$2.73 RON 12.51

44.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.47 RON 43.44

$3.31 RON 15.18

186.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 RON 32.36

$6.73 RON 30.90

4.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 RON 55.8

$12.17 RON 55.8

-0.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.11

$1.01 RON 4.65

31.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.68

$1.54 RON 7.05

8.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.51

$1.54 RON 7.08

6.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 RON 12.83

$1.84 RON 8.45

52.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.86

$0.82 RON 3.76

2.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.62

$0.95 RON 4.35

-16.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$0.73 RON 3.35

24.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.74 RON 3.41

35.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.00 RON 32.12

$6.10 RON 27.97

14.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 RON 29.54

$5.82 RON 26.71

10.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.70

$1.22 RON 5.58

1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.99

$1.58 RON 7.25

10.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.93

$0.46 RON 2.10

86.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.97 RON 101

$23.00 RON 106

-4.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.91

$0.65 RON 2.98

-3.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.17

$0.63 RON 2.90

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 RON 30.66

$6.79 RON 31.15

-1.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 RON 9.05

$1.63 RON 7.47

20.86%

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

$29.3K RON 134.6K

$29.2K RON 133.8K

0.61%

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

$28.4K RON 130.4K

$27.2K RON 124.9K

4.38%

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

$192 RON 879

$208 RON 953

-7.79%

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

$8.51 RON 39.03

$7.71 RON 35.38

10.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.09 RON 46.28

$8.68 RON 39.83

16.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 RON 244

$22.28 RON 102

138.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.78 RON 118

$21.50 RON 98.7

19.91%

Cinema Ticket

$8.57 RON 39.30

$3.39 RON 15.57

152.80%

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

$664 RON 3,048

$335 RON 1,538

98.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K RON 69.3K

$8,641 RON 39.6K

74.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 RON 434

$59.4 RON 272

59.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 RON 188

$33.36 RON 153

22.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 RON 378

$56.0 RON 257

47.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 RON 455

$78.0 RON 358

27.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 RON 3,283

$365 RON 1,675

96.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 RON 2,158

$282 RON 1,293

66.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 RON 5,273

$467 RON 2,144

145.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 RON 3,389

$421 RON 1,931

75.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,881 RON 17.8K

$1,931 RON 8,861

100.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,277 RON 10.4K

$1,380 RON 6,334

64.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,484 RON 6,809

$924 RON 4,239

60.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

6.84

-1.17%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 15, 2026

Last update for Targoviste: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Bucharest and $365 in Targoviste. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 61% 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 $27.00 in Targoviste for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $186 per month, with Targoviste 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 Targoviste: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Targoviste differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($1,397 vs $964 including rent). Targoviste is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 61% 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 $365 in Targoviste. 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 $964 in Targoviste – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Targoviste runs roughly 5% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $964 in Targoviste versus $1,397 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Targoviste but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Targoviste 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 Targoviste 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 Targoviste gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.