Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Calarasi and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $989 in Calarasi versus $1,336 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,477 in Calarasi versus $2,162 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,964 in Calarasi versus $2,988 in Bucharest.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Calarasi is 26% below, Bucharest is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 RON 45.46

$13.58 RON 61.4

-25.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.26 RON 123

$68.1 RON 308

-59.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 RON 34.86

$8.05 RON 36.38

-4.22%

Cappuccino

$2.65 RON 11.97

$3.40 RON 15.36

-22.06%

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

$1.53 RON 6.92

$2.32 RON 10.50

-34.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 RON 8.11

$2.38 RON 10.74

-24.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 RON 10.12

$3.54 RON 15.99

-36.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 RON 15.91

$4.01 RON 18.14

-12.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RON 6.08

$1.74 RON 7.88

-22.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 RON 4.91

$1.42 RON 6.42

-23.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 RON 7.98

$1.93 RON 8.73

-8.29%

Eggs

$3.40 RON 15.35

$3.54 RON 15.99

-3.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.50 RON 38.41

$9.27 RON 41.90

-8.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 RON 32.20

$7.13 RON 32.21

-0.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 RON 41.35

$12.28 RON 55.5

-25.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.31

$1.35 RON 6.11

-12.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 RON 6.66

$1.74 RON 7.86

-15.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.02

$1.76 RON 7.98

-24.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.62

$2.40 RON 10.83

-20.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 RON 3.37

$1.05 RON 4.72

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.31

$0.96 RON 4.35

-1.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.20

$0.92 RON 4.15

-22.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.62

$0.91 RON 4.09

-12.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.71 RON 25.79

$6.38 RON 28.82

-10.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.48 RON 20.27

$6.45 RON 29.16

-30.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 RON 4.45

$1.22 RON 5.51

-19.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$1.98 RON 8.95

-28.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 RON 2.03

$1.16 RON 5.27

-61.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.09 RON 63.7

$19.48 RON 88.0

-27.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.67 RON 3.03

$0.72 RON 3.25

-6.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 RON 2.97

$0.62 RON 2.79

6.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 RON 25.39

$6.94 RON 31.35

-19.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 6.98

$1.71 RON 7.75

-9.94%

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

$25.4K RON 114.7K

$29.0K RON 131.0K

-12.46%

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

$27.4K RON 123.9K

$30.3K RON 137.0K

-9.56%

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

$148 RON 669

$178 RON 803

-16.77%

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

$8.65 RON 39.09

$9.16 RON 41.40

-5.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.62 RON 34.44

$11.12 RON 50.3

-31.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.6 RON 310

$54.7 RON 247

25.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.52 RON 88.2

$29.04 RON 131

-32.78%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 RON 26.77

$9.27 RON 41.92

-36.14%

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

$424 RON 1,915

$677 RON 3,060

-37.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,966 RON 31.5K

$14.9K RON 67.2K

-53.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.3 RON 367

$79.8 RON 361

1.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.81 RON 194

$45.29 RON 205

-5.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 RON 342

$89.2 RON 403

-15.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 RON 437

$109 RON 493

-11.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 RON 1,768

$662 RON 2,992

-40.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$228 RON 1,032

$432 RON 1,953

-47.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$599 RON 2,709

$1,355 RON 6,126

-55.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 RON 1,666

$841 RON 3,802

-56.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,236 RON 5,587

$3,857 RON 17.4K

-67.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$986 RON 4,458

$2,305 RON 10.4K

-57.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 RON 3,495

$1,463 RON 6,615

-47.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

7.1

-6.76%

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

Last update for Calarasi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $391 in Calarasi and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 89% 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: $27.00 in Calarasi vs $68.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $233 per month, with Calarasi 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

Calarasi vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Calarasi and Bucharest differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($989 vs $1,336 including rent). Calarasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bucharest earns 89% 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: $391 in Calarasi versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $989 per month in Calarasi versus $1,336 in Bucharest – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Calarasi runs roughly 38% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $989 in Calarasi versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Calarasi but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Calarasi 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, Calarasi 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 Calarasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.