Cost of Living Comparison Between Calafat and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Calafat and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,053 in Calafat versus $1,430 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,537 in Calafat versus $2,131 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,021 in Calafat versus $2,833 in Bucharest.

Living in Calafat costs roughly 26% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calafat is 23% below, Bucharest is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.57 RON 34.16

$15.63 RON 70.6

-51.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.29 RON 168

$62.3 RON 281

-40.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 RON 35.96

$7.85 RON 35.44

1.40%

Cappuccino

$2.16 RON 9.74

$3.63 RON 16.37

-40.50%

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

$1.57 RON 7.09

$2.48 RON 11.18

-36.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 RON 4.18

$2.36 RON 10.64

-60.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 RON 4.87

$3.92 RON 17.70

-72.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 RON 9.22

$4.50 RON 20.31

-54.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 RON 5.42

$1.80 RON 8.12

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 RON 3.65

$1.41 RON 6.36

-42.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 RON 6.44

$1.78 RON 8.03

-19.66%

Eggs

$2.42 RON 10.90

$3.88 RON 17.50

-37.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.39 RON 33.35

$9.61 RON 43.40

-23.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 RON 29.58

$7.16 RON 32.32

-8.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.85 RON 30.94

$12.25 RON 55.3

-44.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.61

$1.31 RON 5.93

-22.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 RON 6.79

$1.70 RON 7.66

-11.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 RON 6.12

$1.63 RON 7.35

-16.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 RON 6.90

$2.78 RON 12.54

-44.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 RON 2.89

$0.86 RON 3.89

-25.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.45

$0.74 RON 3.36

2.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 RON 3.28

$0.94 RON 4.25

-22.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.46

$0.97 RON 4.40

-20.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.47 RON 24.70

$6.87 RON 31.01

-20.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.80 RON 30.70

$6.66 RON 30.05

2.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.14

$1.26 RON 5.67

-26.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 RON 7.22

$1.73 RON 7.81

-7.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 RON 3.69

$1.08 RON 4.86

-24.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 RON 103

$21.84 RON 98.6

4.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 RON 2.47

$0.64 RON 2.88

-14.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 RON 2.57

$0.68 RON 3.08

-16.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.46 RON 29.18

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 RON 7.15

$1.98 RON 8.96

-20.20%

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

$27.7K RON 125.0K

$29.4K RON 132.6K

-5.72%

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

$27.5K RON 124.2K

$27.8K RON 125.7K

-1.18%

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

$220 RON 995

$204 RON 920

8.11%

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

$7.87 RON 35.53

$8.53 RON 38.52

-7.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.69 RON 30.19

$9.87 RON 44.56

-32.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.93 RON 185

$54.7 RON 247

-25.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.32 RON 96.2

$25.58 RON 115

-16.65%

Cinema Ticket

$8.41 RON 37.97

$8.86 RON 40.00

-5.08%

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

$444 RON 2,003

$663 RON 2,994

-33.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,681 RON 39.2K

$15.3K RON 69.0K

-43.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 RON 309

$95.2 RON 430

-28.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.35 RON 200

$40.99 RON 185

8.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 RON 359

$82.7 RON 373

-3.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 RON 397

$101 RON 454

-12.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 RON 1,848

$710 RON 3,204

-42.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 RON 1,350

$490 RON 2,214

-39.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 RON 2,910

$1,130 RON 5,101

-42.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 RON 2,137

$759 RON 3,426

-37.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,965 RON 8,871

$3,914 RON 17.7K

-49.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,393 RON 6,290

$2,317 RON 10.5K

-39.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$845 RON 3,813

$1,486 RON 6,708

-43.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.83

-12.15%

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

Last update for Calafat: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Calafat and $710 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 76% 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: $37.00 in Calafat vs $62.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $236 per month, with Calafat 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

Calafat vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calafat and Bucharest differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,053 vs $1,430 including rent). Calafat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 76% lower in Bucharest. 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: $409 in Calafat versus $710 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,053 per month in Calafat versus $1,430 in Bucharest – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Calafat runs roughly 4% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,053 in Calafat versus $1,430 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Calafat but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Calafat 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, Calafat and Bucharest 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 Calafat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.