Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Calafat and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Calafat: $1,016 a month against $1,371 in Bucharest, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Calafat
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Calafat Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index

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Calafat

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,016

/mo nomad

Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,371

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Calafat and in Bucharest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Calafat and in Bucharest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,016 in Calafat versus $1,371 in Bucharest.

Calafat $1,016
Bucharest $1,371

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,499 in Calafat versus $2,067 in Bucharest.

Calafat $1,499
Bucharest $2,067

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,982 in Calafat versus $2,764 in Bucharest.

Calafat $1,982
Bucharest $2,764

Living in Calafat costs roughly 26% less than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.35 RON 34.92

$14.51 RON 68.9

-49.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.38 RON 182

$61.2 RON 291

-37.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.21 RON 34.23

$7.46 RON 35.44

-3.35%

Cappuccino

$2.14 RON 10.14

$3.64 RON 17.30

-41.21%

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

$1.44 RON 6.82

$2.62 RON 12.42

-45.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 RON 4.11

$2.36 RON 11.22

-63.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 RON 5.11

$3.78 RON 17.96

-71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.71

$4.11 RON 19.51

-55.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 RON 5.30

$1.66 RON 7.88

-32.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 RON 3.63

$1.40 RON 6.63

-45.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.39

$1.79 RON 8.52

-24.58%

Eggs

$2.33 RON 11.06

$3.63 RON 17.24

-35.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.69 RON 31.78

$8.92 RON 42.35

-25.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 RON 30.13

$6.86 RON 32.60

-7.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.24 RON 29.61

$11.99 RON 56.9

-47.96%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.80

$1.30 RON 6.16

-22.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 RON 7.07

$1.63 RON 7.76

-8.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 RON 6.06

$1.49 RON 7.08

-14.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 RON 6.84

$2.54 RON 12.07

-43.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 RON 2.86

$0.81 RON 3.86

-25.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 RON 3.56

$0.80 RON 3.78

-6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 RON 3.28

$0.86 RON 4.07

-19.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RON 3.38

$0.94 RON 4.45

-24.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.31 RON 25.19

$6.60 RON 31.36

-19.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.27 RON 29.76

$6.33 RON 30.06

-0.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 4.16

$1.19 RON 5.63

-26.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 RON 6.90

$1.58 RON 7.52

-8.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 RON 3.55

$0.98 RON 4.63

-23.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.34 RON 106

$20.91 RON 99.3

6.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 RON 2.53

$0.60 RON 2.85

-11.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.51 RON 2.42

$0.62 RON 2.93

-17.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.77 RON 46.39

$6.37 RON 30.23

53.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 7.15

$2.02 RON 9.62

-25.25%

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

$25.5K RON 120.9K

$28.2K RON 133.9K

-9.71%

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

$25.5K RON 121.1K

$26.3K RON 124.8K

-2.93%

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

$214 RON 1,017

$196 RON 932

9.21%

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

$7.55 RON 35.87

$8.60 RON 40.81

-12.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.33 RON 30.04

$9.20 RON 43.66

-31.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.82 RON 180

$51.0 RON 242

-25.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.06 RON 90.5

$25.04 RON 119

-23.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.40 RON 35.13

$8.26 RON 39.24

-10.41%

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

$412 RON 1,958

$681 RON 3,231

-39.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,151 RON 38.7K

$18.7K RON 89.0K

-56.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 RON 302

$93.3 RON 443

-31.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.04 RON 200

$39.87 RON 189

5.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 RON 400

$80.1 RON 380

5.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.5 RON 396

$90.6 RON 430

-7.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 RON 1,805

$731 RON 3,470

-48.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 RON 1,398

$470 RON 2,230

-37.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$617 RON 2,928

$1,110 RON 5,272

-44.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 RON 2,220

$722 RON 3,428

-35.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,910 RON 9,070

$3,749 RON 17.8K

-49.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,190 RON 5,652

$2,233 RON 10.6K

-46.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$812 RON 3,856

$1,365 RON 6,482

-40.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

-11.11%

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

Last update for Calafat: November 2, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Calafat

$294 29%

Bucharest

$470 34.3% 59.6% $175

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Calafat

$228 22.5%

Bucharest

$214 15.6% 6.2% $14

Groceries & Markets

Calafat

$165 16.2%

Bucharest

$225 16.4% 36.4% $60

Eating Out

Calafat

$124 12.3%

Bucharest

$229 16.7% 84.4% $105

Clothing & Footwear

Calafat

$123 12.1%

Bucharest

$137 10% 11.2% $14

Sport & Entertainment

Calafat

$53 5.2%

Bucharest

$68 4.9% 28.4% $15

Getting Around

Calafat

$28 2.8%

Bucharest

$29 2.1% 0.4% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Calafat and $731 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 68% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $38 in Calafat vs $61 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $165 vs $225 per month, with Calafat cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Calafat

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🕒 Local time

03:22 3:22 AM

Same time as Calafat

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,500

1,883,425 Capital

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.187 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.187 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Calafat Bucharest 260 km

From you

Calafat
Bucharest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,016 in Calafat and $1,371 in Bucharest, so Calafat is about 26% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Calafat. 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: $380 in Calafat versus $731 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,016 per month in Calafat versus $1,371 in Bucharest – Calafat is about 26% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 6% less than in Calafat. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Either city works on $2,000 a month, though Calafat gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Calafat wins on affordability, Bucharest on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.