Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Targu Frumos Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Targu Frumos

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,355 in Bucharest versus $1,043 in Targu Frumos.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Bucharest versus $1,565 in Targu Frumos.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,918 in Bucharest versus $2,088 in Targu Frumos.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 30% more expensive than Targu Frumos, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 1% above, Targu Frumos is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 58.9

$8.72 RON 37.83

55.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 RON 301

$40.31 RON 175

72.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 RON 34.84

$8.87 RON 38.49

-9.47%

Cappuccino

$3.42 RON 14.86

$2.22 RON 9.62

54.05%

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

$2.33 RON 10.13

$1.26 RON 5.47

84.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 RON 10.09

$1.10 RON 4.76

110.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 RON 15.21

$2.13 RON 9.23

64.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 RON 16.60

$2.83 RON 12.28

34.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.41

$1.55 RON 6.71

10.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.13

$1.22 RON 5.28

15.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 7.95

$1.65 RON 7.18

10.91%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.29

$2.94 RON 12.75

19.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 RON 40.90

$8.40 RON 36.46

12.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.09 RON 30.77

$7.11 RON 30.86

-0.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 53.3

$12.70 RON 55.1

-3.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 5.82

$0.99 RON 4.29

35.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.47

$1.36 RON 5.89

26.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 RON 7.67

$1.51 RON 6.57

17.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.37

$1.99 RON 8.63

20.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.52

$0.93 RON 4.04

11.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.25

$0.94 RON 4.08

4.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 RON 4.04

$0.75 RON 3.26

24.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.18

$0.80 RON 3.48

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 27.26

$6.23 RON 27.02

0.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 RON 31.42

$8.24 RON 35.78

-12.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.37

$1.04 RON 4.52

19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 RON 8.76

$1.68 RON 7.30

20.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 RON 5.11

$0.72 RON 3.13

63.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.62 RON 85.2

$19.82 RON 86.0

-1.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 2.88

$0.93 RON 4.05

-29.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.62

$0.66 RON 2.85

-9.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.08 RON 30.74

$7.45 RON 32.35

-4.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.23

$1.53 RON 6.64

9.15%

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

$28.4K RON 123.3K

$28.2K RON 122.4K

0.69%

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

$30.5K RON 132.2K

$28.1K RON 121.8K

8.52%

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

$182 RON 791

$170 RON 737

7.33%

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

$8.93 RON 38.74

$8.65 RON 37.53

3.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.15 RON 48.37

$10.07 RON 43.72

10.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 RON 235

$40.95 RON 178

32.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.96 RON 126

$19.49 RON 84.6

48.59%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 RON 39.89

$5.79 RON 25.12

58.72%

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

$662 RON 2,873

$436 RON 1,892

51.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K RON 62.7K

$6,824 RON 29.6K

111.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.5 RON 345

$71.0 RON 308

12.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.22 RON 196

$32.57 RON 141

38.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 RON 395

$74.8 RON 325

21.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 RON 477

$79.9 RON 347

37.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 RON 2,869

$394 RON 1,708

67.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 RON 1,863

$292 RON 1,266

47.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 5,869

$598 RON 2,594

126.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 RON 3,691

$432 RON 1,877

96.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,026 RON 17.5K

$1,721 RON 7,469

133.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 RON 9,911

$1,382 RON 5,997

65.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,522 RON 6,605

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

8.17

-13.10%

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

Last update for Bucharest: April 22, 2026

Last update for Targu Frumos: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Bucharest and $394 in Targu Frumos. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $69 in Bucharest vs $40 in Targu Frumos for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $216 per month, with Targu Frumos 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 Targu Frumos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Targu Frumos differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,355 vs $1,043 including rent). Targu Frumos is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,033 in Bucharest and $1,564 in Targu Frumos to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $661 in Bucharest versus $394 in Targu Frumos. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,355 per month in Bucharest versus $1,043 in Targu Frumos – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Targu Frumos runs roughly 1% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,043 in Targu Frumos versus $1,355 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Targu Frumos but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Frumos 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 Targu Frumos 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 Targu Frumos 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.