Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Zlin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bucharest and Zlin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,640 in Zlin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $2,261 in Zlin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $2,881 in Zlin.

Living in Bucharest costs roughly 19% less than in Zlin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bucharest 0% above, Zlin 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.5

$9.17 Kč 191

48.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$36.92 Kč 770

84.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.43

$6.12 Kč 128

31.54%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.38

$2.95 Kč 61.4

15.25%

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

$2.32 RON 10.51

$1.84 Kč 38.31

26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.75

$1.49 Kč 31.16

59.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 16.01

$2.28 Kč 47.47

55.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.16

$2.74 Kč 57.1

46.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.89

$1.03 Kč 21.40

68.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.43

$1.33 Kč 27.77

6.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.74

$2.42 Kč 50.4

-20.25%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 16.01

$3.50 Kč 73.0

1.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.96

$12.87 Kč 268

-27.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.26

$9.24 Kč 193

-22.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.6

$13.32 Kč 278

-7.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.12

$1.84 Kč 38.29

-26.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.56 Kč 32.48

11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.99

$2.27 Kč 47.41

-22.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.85

$3.15 Kč 65.7

-23.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$1.14 Kč 23.67

-7.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$1.02 Kč 21.31

-5.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$1.49 Kč 31.10

-38.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.10

$0.65 Kč 13.50

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.86

$7.43 Kč 155

-14.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.20

$6.97 Kč 145

-7.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.52

$0.75 Kč 15.56

62.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.97

$2.16 Kč 45.03

-8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$1.15 Kč 23.98

0.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.2

$28.44 Kč 593

-31.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.26

$2.28 Kč 47.58

-68.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.80

$1.10 Kč 22.84

-43.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.39

$13.91 Kč 290

-50.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.76

$1.70 Kč 35.41

0.59%

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

$29.0K RON 131.2K

$23.3K Kč 485.5K

24.43%

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

$30.3K RON 137.1K

$25.3K Kč 528.3K

19.56%

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

$178 RON 804

$312 Kč 6,503

-43.02%

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

$9.16 RON 41.46

$26.51 Kč 553

-65.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$20.13 Kč 420

-44.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$47.23 Kč 985

15.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$9.24 Kč 193

214.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.98

$9.77 Kč 204

-5.12%

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

$677 RON 3,064

$897 Kč 18.7K

-24.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$14.4K Kč 300.5K

3.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$85.7 Kč 1,788

-6.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$34.21 Kč 713

32.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 404

$96.1 Kč 2,004

-7.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 494

$125 Kč 2,600

-12.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,996

$716 Kč 14.9K

-7.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,956

$594 Kč 12.4K

-27.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,135

$1,145 Kč 23.9K

18.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,807

$845 Kč 17.6K

-0.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.5K

$5,269 Kč 109.8K

-26.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$3,677 Kč 76.7K

-37.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,624

$1,544 Kč 32.2K

-5.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

4.84

46.69%

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

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zlin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $716 in Zlin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zlin pays 6% 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 $37.00 in Zlin. Groceries flip the comparison at $233 vs $257, with Bucharest cheaper for home cooking.

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 Zlin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Zlin differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $1,640 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Zlin earns 6% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $662 in Bucharest versus $716 in Zlin. 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 $1,640 in Zlin – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 46% less than in Zlin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,640 in Zlin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Zlin. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest 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 Zlin 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 Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Zlin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.