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: $1,050 in Calafat versus $1,336 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Calafat versus $2,162 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,083 in Calafat versus $2,988 in Bucharest.

Living in Calafat costs roughly 21% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Calafat is 22% below, Bucharest is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 RON 40.93

$13.58 RON 61.4

-33.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.83 RON 185

$68.1 RON 308

-40.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 RON 36.22

$8.05 RON 36.38

-0.50%

Cappuccino

$2.37 RON 10.71

$3.40 RON 15.36

-30.29%

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

$0.94 RON 4.27

$2.32 RON 10.50

-59.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$2.38 RON 10.74

-63.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 RON 5.32

$3.54 RON 15.99

-66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RON 9.20

$4.01 RON 18.14

-49.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 RON 5.68

$1.74 RON 7.88

-27.59%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 RON 3.98

$1.42 RON 6.42

-38.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 RON 6.63

$1.93 RON 8.73

-23.83%

Eggs

$2.51 RON 11.36

$3.54 RON 15.99

-29.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.35 RON 33.24

$9.27 RON 41.90

-20.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 RON 30.57

$7.13 RON 32.21

-5.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 RON 30.53

$12.28 RON 55.5

-45.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 RON 5.05

$1.35 RON 6.11

-17.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.15

$1.74 RON 7.86

-9.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 RON 6.13

$1.76 RON 7.98

-22.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.45

$2.40 RON 10.83

-31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 RON 3.17

$1.05 RON 4.72

-33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.79

$0.96 RON 4.35

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 RON 3.58

$0.92 RON 4.15

-14.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.36

$0.91 RON 4.09

-18.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.80 RON 26.23

$6.38 RON 28.82

-9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.92 RON 26.75

$6.45 RON 29.16

-8.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.23

$1.22 RON 5.51

-22.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 RON 9.29

$1.98 RON 8.95

3.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 RON 2.97

$1.16 RON 5.27

-43.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.93 RON 90.1

$19.48 RON 88.0

2.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 RON 2.54

$0.72 RON 3.25

-22.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 RON 2.41

$0.62 RON 2.79

-14.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.77 RON 30.62

$6.94 RON 31.35

-2.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.19

$1.71 RON 7.75

-7.02%

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

$28.3K RON 127.8K

$29.0K RON 131.0K

-2.47%

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

$27.6K RON 124.6K

$30.3K RON 137.0K

-9.03%

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

$212 RON 960

$178 RON 803

19.49%

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

$8.19 RON 37.03

$9.16 RON 41.40

-10.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.09 RON 32.07

$11.12 RON 50.3

-36.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.54 RON 188

$54.7 RON 247

-24.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.88 RON 85.4

$29.04 RON 131

-34.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.44 RON 29.12

$9.27 RON 41.92

-30.53%

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

$432 RON 1,951

$677 RON 3,060

-36.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,010 RON 40.7K

$14.9K RON 67.2K

-39.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 RON 363

$79.8 RON 361

0.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 RON 169

$45.29 RON 205

-17.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 RON 352

$89.2 RON 403

-12.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 RON 390

$109 RON 493

-20.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 RON 1,737

$662 RON 2,992

-41.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 RON 1,311

$432 RON 1,953

-32.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 RON 2,619

$1,355 RON 6,126

-57.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 RON 1,960

$841 RON 3,802

-48.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,834 RON 8,291

$3,857 RON 17.4K

-52.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,352 RON 6,111

$2,305 RON 10.4K

-41.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$860 RON 3,888

$1,463 RON 6,615

-41.22%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $384 in Calafat and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 70% 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 $68.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $233 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 27% in total monthly costs ($1,050 vs $1,336 including rent). Calafat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bucharest earns 70% 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: $384 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 $1,050 per month in Calafat versus $1,336 in Bucharest – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Calafat runs roughly 2% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,050 in Calafat versus $1,336 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 27% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.