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: $1,025 in Calafat versus $1,362 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,549 in Calafat versus $2,133 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,073 in Calafat versus $2,903 in Bucharest.

Living in Calafat costs roughly 25% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calafat is 23% below, Bucharest is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.44 RON 43.09

$14.09 RON 64.3

-33.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.31 RON 189

$68.8 RON 314

-39.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 RON 37.02

$8.08 RON 36.87

0.37%

Cappuccino

$2.37 RON 10.81

$3.39 RON 15.48

-30.09%

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

$0.87 RON 3.99

$2.24 RON 10.24

-61.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.27

$2.42 RON 11.04

-61.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 RON 5.33

$3.38 RON 15.44

-65.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 RON 9.59

$3.83 RON 17.49

-45.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 RON 5.93

$1.72 RON 7.84

-24.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 RON 3.73

$1.35 RON 6.16

-39.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.77

$1.83 RON 8.37

-19.13%

Eggs

$2.60 RON 11.88

$3.65 RON 16.65

-28.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.44 RON 33.96

$9.23 RON 42.12

-19.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 RON 29.53

$6.85 RON 31.29

-5.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.94 RON 31.68

$12.03 RON 54.9

-42.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.16

$1.34 RON 6.12

-15.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.48

$1.72 RON 7.86

-4.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.35

$1.82 RON 8.30

-23.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.55

$2.39 RON 10.92

-30.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 RON 3.22

$1.04 RON 4.76

-32.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.58

$1.02 RON 4.65

-23.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 RON 3.52

$0.98 RON 4.47

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 RON 3.44

$0.95 RON 4.32

-21.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 RON 26.20

$6.40 RON 29.19

-10.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.93 RON 27.07

$6.50 RON 29.67

-8.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 RON 4.25

$1.24 RON 5.66

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 RON 9.68

$1.93 RON 8.82

9.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 RON 3.09

$1.14 RON 5.19

-40.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.55 RON 89.3

$19.82 RON 90.5

-1.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 RON 2.55

$0.71 RON 3.26

-21.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 RON 2.47

$0.65 RON 2.98

-16.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.67

$6.93 RON 31.64

0.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.34

$1.66 RON 7.56

-3.01%

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

$28.2K RON 128.7K

$29.0K RON 132.2K

-2.65%

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

$27.3K RON 124.6K

$30.1K RON 137.3K

-9.26%

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

$210 RON 958

$183 RON 837

14.46%

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

$8.21 RON 37.46

$8.95 RON 40.86

-8.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.77 RON 30.88

$11.12 RON 50.8

-39.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.16 RON 192

$54.4 RON 248

-22.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.48 RON 88.9

$29.49 RON 135

-33.94%

Cinema Ticket

$6.52 RON 29.77

$9.13 RON 41.68

-28.59%

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

$434 RON 1,983

$676 RON 3,088

-35.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,950 RON 40.9K

$14.3K RON 65.4K

-37.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.8 RON 355

$81.1 RON 370

-4.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.84 RON 168

$44.42 RON 203

-17.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 RON 359

$89.8 RON 410

-12.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.0 RON 388

$108 RON 494

-21.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$394 RON 1,797

$662 RON 3,022

-40.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 RON 1,340

$441 RON 2,011

-33.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 RON 2,654

$1,352 RON 6,173

-57.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,972

$849 RON 3,874

-49.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,113 RON 9,644

$3,777 RON 17.2K

-44.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,398 RON 6,381

$2,231 RON 10.2K

-37.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$819 RON 3,737

$1,408 RON 6,427

-41.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

-15.49%

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

Last update for Calafat: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $394 in Calafat and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 72% 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: $41.00 in Calafat vs $69.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $230 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 33% in total monthly costs ($1,025 vs $1,362 including rent). Calafat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 72% 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: $394 in Calafat versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,025 per month in Calafat versus $1,362 in Bucharest – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Calafat runs roughly 1% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,025 in Calafat versus $1,362 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 33% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.