Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Torun

For one person, living costs are similar in Bucharest and in Torun: $1,340 and $1,310 a month, rent and utilities included.

Bucharest
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,340
/mo nomad
Torun
🇵🇱 Poland
$1,310
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bucharest and in Torun

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bucharest and in Torun actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,340 in Bucharest versus $1,310 in Torun.

  • Bucharest $1,340
  • Torun $1,310

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Bucharest versus $1,895 in Torun.

  • Bucharest $2,037
  • Torun $1,895

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,734 in Bucharest versus $2,480 in Torun.

  • Bucharest $2,734
  • Torun $2,480

Living in Bucharest is roughly 2% more expensive than in Torun, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bucharest 1% lower, Torun 3% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bucharest
Torun
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.49 RON 68.6
$10.15 zł 39.45
42.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.1 RON 275
$50.3 zł 196
15.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.48 RON 35.40
$8.80 zł 34.19
-15.00%
Cappuccino
$3.44 RON 16.29
$3.52 zł 13.67
-2.27%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 RON 11.22
$2.10 zł 8.15
12.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 RON 10.88
$1.63 zł 6.32
41.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.70 RON 17.51
$2.48 zł 9.64
49.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.16 RON 19.69
$4.12 zł 16.01
0.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bucharest
Torun
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 RON 7.90
$0.98 zł 3.80
70.41%
White Bread (500g)
$1.37 RON 6.50
$1.22 zł 4.73
12.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 RON 8.14
$1.57 zł 6.12
9.55%
Eggs
$3.64 RON 17.22
$2.96 zł 11.51
22.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.08 RON 42.98
$7.82 zł 30.39
16.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.84 RON 32.35
$6.13 zł 23.83
11.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.00 RON 56.8
$14.18 zł 55.1
-15.37%
Apples (1kg)
$1.23 RON 5.80
$1.10 zł 4.29
11.82%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 RON 7.73
$1.66 zł 6.44
-1.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.57 RON 7.45
$1.57 zł 6.11
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.54 RON 12.01
$3.19 zł 12.41
-20.38%
Potato (1kg)
$0.79 RON 3.75
$0.87 zł 3.36
-9.20%
Onion (1kg)
$0.77 RON 3.66
$1.38 zł 5.35
-44.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.87 RON 4.13
$1.47 zł 5.69
-40.82%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 RON 4.70
$0.56 zł 2.18
76.79%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.31 RON 29.86
$4.63 zł 17.97
36.29%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.20 RON 29.34
$7.07 zł 27.47
-12.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 RON 5.63
$1.55 zł 6.01
-23.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 RON 7.45
$2.15 zł 8.37
-26.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Bucharest
Torun
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 RON 4.08
$1.18 zł 4.59
-27.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.10 RON 99.8
$25.35 zł 98.5
-16.77%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.64 RON 3.05
$2.08 zł 8.08
-69.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.60 RON 2.86
$1.03 zł 4.01
-41.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.43 RON 30.43
$6.39 zł 24.83
0.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.96 RON 9.25
$1.58 zł 6.15
24.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K RON 137.2K
$31.3K zł 121.5K
-7.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K RON 126.0K
$26.7K zł 103.8K
-0.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bucharest
Torun
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$196 RON 927
$182 zł 707
7.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.04 RON 38.04
$10.45 zł 40.62
-23.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.35 RON 44.21
$16.87 zł 65.5
-44.58%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bucharest
Torun
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$50.2 RON 238
$37.66 zł 146
33.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.33 RON 120
$21.89 zł 85.0
15.71%
Cinema Ticket
$8.15 RON 38.55
$7.69 zł 29.88
5.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bucharest
Torun
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$628 RON 2,971
$243 zł 944
158.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.1K RON 66.6K
$5,177 zł 20.1K
172.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bucharest
Torun
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.6 RON 424
$86.1 zł 335
4.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.32 RON 181
$39.34 zł 153
-2.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.3 RON 375
$83.7 zł 325
-5.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.4 RON 428
$116 zł 450
-21.96%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bucharest
Torun
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$678 RON 3,209
$526 zł 2,045
28.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$448 RON 2,121
$460 zł 1,789
-2.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,083 RON 5,125
$844 zł 3,281
28.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$725 RON 3,430
$597 zł 2,319
21.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,751 RON 17.7K
$3,387 zł 13.2K
10.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,195 RON 10.4K
$2,216 zł 8,610
-0.94%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bucharest
Torun
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,329 RON 6,290
$1,738 zł 6,754
-23.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.75
6.21
8.70%

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

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Last update for Torun: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bucharest
$448
Torun
$460 2.7% $12
Eating Out
Bucharest
$225
Torun
$185 17.7% $40
Groceries & Markets
Bucharest
$225
Torun
$219 2.8% $6.4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bucharest
$213
Torun
$209 1.9% $4
Clothing & Footwear
Bucharest
$134
Torun
$146 9.2% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Bucharest
$67
Torun
$53 20.3% $13
Getting Around
Bucharest
$28
Torun
$37 32.3% $9.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $678 in Bucharest and $526 in Torun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Torun pays 31% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $58.0 in Bucharest vs $50.0 in Torun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $219 per month, with Torun cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇷🇴 Bucharest
🇵🇱 Torun
🕒 Local time
03:26 3:26 AM
02:26 2:26 AM
1 h behind Bucharest
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,883,425 Capital
196,935
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PLN, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bucharest Torun 1,100 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Bucharest
  • Torun

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Torun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Bucharest and in Torun?
Bucharest and Torun differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,340 vs $1,310 including rent). Torun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 31% lower in Torun. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Bucharest and in Torun?
Rent for a central apartment: $678 in Bucharest versus $526 in Torun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Bucharest or Torun?
All in, you'll spend $1,340 per month in Bucharest versus $1,310 in Torun – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Bucharest and in Torun?
A monthly transit pass in Torun runs roughly 20% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,310 in Torun versus $1,340 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Torun but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Torun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Bucharest and Torun?
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.
Is Bucharest or Torun safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Bucharest and Torun are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Bucharest or Torun?
Expats usually find Torun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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