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: $1,361 in Bucharest versus $1,013 in Targu Jiu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Bucharest versus $1,622 in Targu Jiu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,994 in Bucharest versus $2,231 in Targu Jiu.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 34% more expensive than in Targu Jiu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 2% above, Targu Jiu is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 62.2

$13.84 RON 63.4

-1.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 RON 317

$67.8 RON 310

2.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.20 RON 37.55

$8.12 RON 37.19

0.99%

Cappuccino

$3.27 RON 14.98

$3.32 RON 15.18

-1.51%

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

$2.31 RON 10.57

$1.13 RON 5.15

104.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 RON 10.67

$2.40 RON 11.00

-2.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 RON 15.39

$3.35 RON 15.33

0.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 RON 17.59

$3.96 RON 18.15

-3.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 RON 8.13

$1.77 RON 8.11

0.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 RON 6.25

$1.42 RON 6.50

-4.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.85

$1.85 RON 8.48

4.32%

Eggs

$3.62 RON 16.59

$3.02 RON 13.83

19.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.49 RON 43.43

$7.97 RON 36.47

19.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 RON 31.40

$3.16 RON 14.46

117.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.27 RON 56.2

$7.69 RON 35.20

59.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.37

$1.02 RON 4.68

36.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.79

$1.57 RON 7.21

8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 8.04

$1.30 RON 5.97

35.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 RON 11.52

$1.40 RON 6.42

80.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.76

$0.90 RON 4.14

15.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.63

$0.98 RON 4.48

3.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 RON 4.56

$0.66 RON 3.02

51.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.37

$0.60 RON 2.74

58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.32 RON 28.91

$5.66 RON 25.92

11.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 RON 29.09

$3.12 RON 14.30

103.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 RON 5.84

$0.96 RON 4.39

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 RON 9.15

$1.17 RON 5.34

70.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 RON 5.11

$0.70 RON 3.21

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.43 RON 89.0

$19.96 RON 91.4

-2.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 3.03

$0.67 RON 3.07

-1.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.77

$0.61 RON 2.77

-1.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 RON 31.16

$6.73 RON 30.83

1.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.88

$1.69 RON 7.73

1.78%

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

$29.0K RON 133.0K

$29.2K RON 133.6K

-0.47%

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

$29.9K RON 136.9K

$30.7K RON 140.6K

-2.60%

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

$179 RON 818

$178 RON 814

0.45%

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

$8.77 RON 40.15

$6.63 RON 30.35

32.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.15 RON 51.0

$10.21 RON 46.75

9.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 RON 251

$40.73 RON 187

34.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.28 RON 134

$19.42 RON 88.9

50.77%

Cinema Ticket

$9.41 RON 43.10

$9.23 RON 42.25

1.95%

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

$668 RON 3,057

$657 RON 3,009

1.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K RON 65.9K

$14.8K RON 67.6K

-2.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 RON 369

$54.2 RON 248

48.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.84 RON 205

$28.00 RON 128

60.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 RON 409

$57.3 RON 262

55.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 501

$93.9 RON 430

16.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 RON 3,010

$376 RON 1,721

74.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,980

$255 RON 1,167

69.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 RON 6,109

$521 RON 2,385

156.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$857 RON 3,924

$432 RON 1,980

98.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,890 RON 17.8K

$2,646 RON 12.1K

47.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,171 RON 9,939

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,436 RON 6,574

$554 RON 2,535

159.32%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Targu Jiu: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Bucharest and $376 in Targu Jiu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 159% 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: $69.0 in Bucharest vs $68.0 in Targu Jiu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $169 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 34% in total monthly costs ($1,361 vs $1,013 including rent). Targu Jiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 159% 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: $657 in Bucharest versus $376 in Targu Jiu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,361 per month in Bucharest versus $1,013 in Targu Jiu – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Targu Jiu runs roughly 3% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Targu Jiu versus $1,361 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 34% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.