Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Turda Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Turda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,063 in Turda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $1,635 in Turda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $2,207 in Turda.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Bucharest is 0% above, Turda is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.4

$9.27 RON 41.91

46.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$51.9 RON 235

31.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.38

$7.89 RON 35.67

2.03%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.36

$2.95 RON 13.35

15.25%

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

$2.32 RON 10.50

$1.93 RON 8.71

20.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.74

$1.76 RON 7.95

35.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 15.99

$2.35 RON 10.61

50.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.14

$2.79 RON 12.62

43.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.88

$1.54 RON 6.97

12.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$1.27 RON 5.72

11.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.64 RON 7.43

17.68%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 15.99

$3.19 RON 14.41

10.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.90

$9.53 RON 43.09

-2.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.21

$6.89 RON 31.16

3.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.5

$11.75 RON 53.1

4.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.11

$1.15 RON 5.19

17.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.86

$1.59 RON 7.20

9.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$1.64 RON 7.43

7.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.83

$1.62 RON 7.32

48.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.72

$0.96 RON 4.33

9.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$0.93 RON 4.19

3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$1.05 RON 4.74

-12.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.92 RON 4.17

-1.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.82

$6.00 RON 27.11

6.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.16

$7.70 RON 34.80

-16.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.51

$1.12 RON 5.08

8.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.95

$1.88 RON 8.49

5.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$1.40 RON 6.31

-17.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.0

$20.16 RON 91.2

-3.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.82 RON 3.73

-12.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

$0.75 RON 3.40

-17.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$7.84 RON 35.42

-11.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$1.58 RON 7.15

8.23%

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

$29.0K RON 131.0K

$27.8K RON 125.6K

4.33%

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

$30.3K RON 137.0K

$26.2K RON 118.6K

15.43%

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

$178 RON 803

$161 RON 729

10.18%

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

$9.16 RON 41.40

$8.94 RON 40.41

2.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$8.62 RON 38.97

29.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$41.55 RON 188

31.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$20.46 RON 92.5

41.94%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.92

$6.83 RON 30.85

35.72%

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

$677 RON 3,060

$491 RON 2,220

37.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$7,936 RON 35.9K

87.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$68.1 RON 308

17.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$40.10 RON 181

12.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$84.1 RON 380

6.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 493

$101 RON 456

8.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,992

$396 RON 1,789

67.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,953

$293 RON 1,322

47.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,126

$599 RON 2,707

126.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,802

$445 RON 2,011

89.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.4K

$1,944 RON 8,786

98.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$1,350 RON 6,102

70.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

$781 RON 3,531

87.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

5.85

21.37%

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

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Last update for Turda: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $396 in Turda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 87% 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: $68.0 in Bucharest vs $52.0 in Turda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $220 per month, with Turda 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 Turda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Turda differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $1,063 including rent). Turda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 87% 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: $662 in Bucharest versus $396 in Turda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,336 per month in Bucharest versus $1,063 in Turda – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,063 in Turda versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Turda but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Turda 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 Turda 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 Turda 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.