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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,355 in Bucharest versus $1,077 in Targu Mures.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Bucharest versus $1,554 in Targu Mures.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,918 in Bucharest versus $2,031 in Targu Mures.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 26% more expensive than Targu Mures, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 1% above, Targu Mures is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 58.9

$8.54 RON 37.04

59.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 RON 301

$41.00 RON 178

69.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 RON 34.84

$9.00 RON 39.05

-10.78%

Cappuccino

$3.42 RON 14.86

$2.30 RON 9.97

48.70%

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

$2.33 RON 10.13

$1.32 RON 5.71

76.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 RON 10.09

$1.15 RON 5.00

101.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 RON 15.21

$2.13 RON 9.24

64.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 RON 16.60

$2.83 RON 12.26

34.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.41

$1.55 RON 6.75

10.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 RON 6.13

$1.21 RON 5.25

16.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 7.95

$1.64 RON 7.12

11.59%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 15.29

$3.07 RON 13.31

14.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.42 RON 40.90

$8.82 RON 38.29

6.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.09 RON 30.77

$7.21 RON 31.27

-1.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 53.3

$12.69 RON 55.1

-3.23%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 5.82

$0.98 RON 4.25

36.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.47

$1.31 RON 5.70

31.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 RON 7.67

$1.53 RON 6.62

15.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.37

$1.95 RON 8.45

22.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.52

$0.93 RON 4.04

11.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.25

$0.92 RON 4.00

6.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 RON 4.04

$0.79 RON 3.45

17.72%

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

Wine (Bottle)

$7.24 RON 31.42

$8.11 RON 35.20

-10.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.37

$1.07 RON 4.66

15.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 RON 8.76

$1.65 RON 7.14

22.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 RON 5.11

$0.56 RON 2.43

110.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.62 RON 85.2

$14.85 RON 64.5

32.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 2.88

$0.96 RON 4.16

-31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.62

$0.73 RON 3.17

-17.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.08 RON 30.74

$7.25 RON 31.45

-2.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 RON 7.23

$1.61 RON 7.00

3.73%

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

$28.4K RON 123.3K

$28.1K RON 121.9K

1.09%

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

$30.5K RON 132.2K

$28.2K RON 122.4K

8.00%

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

$182 RON 791

$172 RON 745

6.09%

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

$8.93 RON 38.74

$8.68 RON 37.67

2.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.15 RON 48.37

$9.64 RON 41.84

15.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 RON 235

$46.95 RON 204

15.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.96 RON 126

$18.68 RON 81.1

55.03%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 RON 39.89

$5.93 RON 25.72

54.97%

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

$662 RON 2,873

$1,387 RON 6,019

-52.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K RON 62.7K

$6,872 RON 29.8K

110.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.5 RON 345

$71.1 RON 308

11.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.22 RON 196

$31.67 RON 137

42.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.1 RON 395

$74.4 RON 323

22.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 RON 477

$81.9 RON 355

34.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$661 RON 2,869

$445 RON 1,930

48.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 RON 1,863

$312 RON 1,354

37.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 5,869

$567 RON 2,459

138.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$851 RON 3,691

$412 RON 1,788

106.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,026 RON 17.5K

$2,379 RON 10.3K

69.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 RON 9,911

$1,556 RON 6,754

46.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,522 RON 6,605

$1,123 RON 4,872

35.56%

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 Mures: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $661 in Bucharest and $445 in Targu Mures. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 36% 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 $41 in Targu Mures for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $218 per month, with Targu Mures 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 Mures: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Targu Mures differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,355 vs $1,077 including rent). Targu Mures is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 36% 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 $445 in Targu Mures. 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 $1,077 in Targu Mures – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Targu Mures runs roughly 32% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,077 in Targu Mures versus $1,355 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Mures but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Mures 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 Mures 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 Mures gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.