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: $1,362 in Bucharest versus $1,587 in Zlin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,133 in Bucharest versus $2,218 in Zlin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Bucharest versus $2,849 in Zlin.

Living in Bucharest costs roughly 14% less than in Zlin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bucharest 2% above, Zlin 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 RON 64.7

$9.13 Kč 194

54.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 RON 316

$37.06 Kč 785

85.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 37.07

$6.25 Kč 132

29.28%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.56

$2.89 Kč 61.3

17.30%

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

$2.24 RON 10.29

$1.86 Kč 39.41

20.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.10

$1.43 Kč 30.32

69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.53

$2.26 Kč 47.96

49.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 RON 17.58

$2.86 Kč 60.5

33.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.89

$1.06 Kč 22.52

62.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.20

$1.29 Kč 27.37

4.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.42

$2.38 Kč 50.5

-23.11%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.74

$3.50 Kč 74.1

4.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 RON 42.35

$12.86 Kč 273

-28.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.46

$9.49 Kč 201

-27.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 RON 55.2

$12.88 Kč 273

-6.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.15

$1.82 Kč 38.56

-26.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.52 Kč 32.19

13.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$2.23 Kč 47.32

-18.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.98

$3.21 Kč 68.0

-25.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$1.13 Kč 23.95

-7.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.68

$1.02 Kč 21.59

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.49

$1.48 Kč 31.41

-33.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.66 Kč 13.93

43.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 RON 29.36

$7.66 Kč 162

-16.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 RON 29.84

$6.51 Kč 138

-0.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.69

$0.78 Kč 16.54

58.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.87

$2.16 Kč 45.79

-10.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 RON 5.22

$1.19 Kč 25.12

-4.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.82 RON 91.0

$27.61 Kč 585

-28.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.28

$2.32 Kč 49.12

-69.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 3.00

$1.06 Kč 22.43

-38.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 RON 31.82

$14.26 Kč 302

-51.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.60

$1.74 Kč 36.82

-4.60%

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

$29.0K RON 132.9K

$23.3K Kč 494.8K

24.00%

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

$30.1K RON 138.0K

$25.7K Kč 543.5K

17.23%

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

$183 RON 842

$308 Kč 6,526

-40.45%

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

$8.95 RON 41.09

$26.41 Kč 560

-66.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 51.1

$19.61 Kč 416

-43.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 RON 250

$45.87 Kč 972

18.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 RON 135

$9.40 Kč 199

213.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 RON 41.92

$9.84 Kč 208

-7.22%

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

$676 RON 3,105

$899 Kč 19.0K

-24.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 65.7K

$14.4K Kč 306.0K

-0.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 RON 372

$83.1 Kč 1,761

-2.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 RON 204

$34.32 Kč 727

29.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 RON 412

$98.3 Kč 2,083

-8.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 497

$126 Kč 2,661

-13.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 3,039

$702 Kč 14.9K

-5.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 2,022

$580 Kč 12.3K

-23.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 6,207

$1,169 Kč 24.8K

15.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 RON 3,896

$835 Kč 17.7K

1.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,777 RON 17.3K

$5,073 Kč 107.5K

-25.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 RON 10.2K

$3,541 Kč 75.0K

-36.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,463

$1,519 Kč 32.2K

-7.31%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zlin: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $702 in Zlin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zlin pays 8% 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 $37.00 in Zlin. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $255, 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 16% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $1,587 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Zlin. 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 $702 in Zlin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,362 per month in Bucharest versus $1,587 in Zlin – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 39% less than in Zlin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,362 in Bucharest versus $1,587 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 16% less than in Zlin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.