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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,355 in Bucharest versus $1,039 in Targu Jiu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Bucharest versus $1,627 in Targu Jiu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,918 in Bucharest versus $2,214 in Targu Jiu.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 30% more expensive than Targu Jiu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 58.9

$13.93 RON 60.5

-2.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 RON 301

$68.5 RON 297

1.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 RON 34.84

$8.09 RON 35.10

-0.74%

Cappuccino

$3.42 RON 14.86

$3.44 RON 14.93

-0.58%

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

$2.33 RON 10.13

$1.17 RON 5.07

99.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 RON 10.09

$2.29 RON 9.94

1.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 RON 15.21

$3.52 RON 15.29

-0.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 RON 16.60

$3.85 RON 16.71

-0.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.41

$1.75 RON 7.58

-2.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.13

$1.43 RON 6.20

-1.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 7.95

$1.92 RON 8.32

-4.69%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.29

$3.08 RON 13.38

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 RON 40.90

$7.97 RON 34.59

18.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.09 RON 30.77

$3.30 RON 14.31

114.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 53.3

$8.05 RON 34.95

52.55%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 5.82

$1.02 RON 4.43

31.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.47

$1.64 RON 7.14

4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 RON 7.67

$1.25 RON 5.41

41.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.37

$1.37 RON 5.93

74.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.52

$0.94 RON 4.08

10.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.25

$0.96 RON 4.17

2.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 RON 4.04

$0.70 RON 3.06

32.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.18

$0.56 RON 2.45

71.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 27.26

$5.66 RON 24.55

10.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 RON 31.42

$3.24 RON 14.06

123.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.37

$0.94 RON 4.06

31.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 RON 8.76

$1.12 RON 4.86

80.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 RON 5.11

$0.72 RON 3.11

63.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.62 RON 85.2

$19.69 RON 85.4

-0.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 2.88

$0.70 RON 3.05

-5.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.62

$0.61 RON 2.64

-1.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.08 RON 30.74

$7.01 RON 30.42

1.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.23

$1.67 RON 7.25

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

$28.4K RON 123.3K

$28.8K RON 125.2K

-1.52%

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

$30.5K RON 132.2K

$29.9K RON 129.8K

1.84%

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

$182 RON 791

$178 RON 771

2.59%

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

$8.93 RON 38.74

$6.41 RON 27.82

39.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.15 RON 48.37

$10.25 RON 44.49

8.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 RON 235

$41.67 RON 181

30.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.96 RON 126

$19.38 RON 84.1

49.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 RON 39.89

$9.38 RON 40.71

-2.03%

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

$662 RON 2,873

$670 RON 2,906

-1.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K RON 62.7K

$14.5K RON 63.0K

-0.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.5 RON 345

$55.8 RON 242

42.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.22 RON 196

$27.14 RON 118

66.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 RON 395

$56.8 RON 247

60.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 RON 477

$93.7 RON 407

17.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 RON 2,869

$375 RON 1,627

76.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 RON 1,863

$250 RON 1,084

71.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 5,869

$527 RON 2,287

156.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 RON 3,691

$440 RON 1,911

93.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,026 RON 17.5K

$2,788 RON 12.1K

44.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 RON 9,911

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,522 RON 6,605

$565 RON 2,454

169.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

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

Last update for Bucharest: April 22, 2026

Last update for Targu Jiu: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Bucharest and $375 in Targu Jiu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 169% 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: $69 in Bucharest vs $68 in Targu Jiu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $171 per month, with Targu Jiu 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 Jiu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Targu Jiu differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,355 vs $1,039 including rent). Targu Jiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 169% 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: $661 in Bucharest versus $375 in Targu Jiu. 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 $1,039 in Targu Jiu – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Targu Jiu runs roughly 0% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,039 in Targu Jiu versus $1,355 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Jiu but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Jiu 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.

Expats usually find Targu Jiu 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.