Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Romania Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Romania

Name: Romania
Address: RO

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $711 in China versus $1,035 in Romania.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $1,583 in Romania.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $2,131 in Romania.

Living in China costs about 31% less than in Romania on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Romania 23% lower.

China ($525–$1,220) and Romania ($802–$1,375) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 ¥18.83

$11.53 RON 50.3

-76.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.03 ¥165

$45.88 RON 200

-47.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 ¥33.95

$8.15 RON 35.55

-39.14%

Cappuccino

$3.12 ¥21.37

$2.88 RON 12.55

8.33%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$2.04 RON 8.88

-76.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$1.87 RON 8.14

-85.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ¥6.73

$2.78 RON 12.14

-64.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥14.69

$3.49 RON 15.23

-38.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.53

$1.54 RON 6.73

18.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 ¥11.54

$1.26 RON 5.49

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.21

$1.74 RON 7.58

-47.70%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.66

$3.30 RON 14.40

-52.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 ¥88.9

$8.79 RON 38.34

47.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 ¥22.23

$6.61 RON 28.82

-50.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 ¥72.0

$10.96 RON 47.79

-4.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.41

$1.21 RON 5.30

49.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.90

$1.66 RON 7.24

-21.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.26

$1.60 RON 7.00

-6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$2.16 RON 9.42

-46.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.20

$0.96 RON 4.19

-20.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ¥6.07

$0.98 RON 4.27

-9.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.97

$0.98 RON 4.29

-40.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.95

$0.81 RON 3.54

-28.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 ¥23.95

$6.14 RON 26.78

-43.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 ¥79.1

$7.10 RON 30.94

62.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.31

$1.16 RON 5.04

-32.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥11.03

$1.81 RON 7.87

-11.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.01

$0.84 RON 3.67

-47.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.15 ¥145

$22.62 RON 98.6

-6.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.35

$0.89 RON 3.86

52.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.70 RON 3.07

-48.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 ¥45.28

$7.95 RON 34.65

-16.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.74

$1.59 RON 6.94

-28.93%

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

$19.7K ¥135.2K

$28.3K RON 123.5K

-30.27%

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

$17.1K ¥117.0K

$27.6K RON 120.2K

-38.03%

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

$50.9 ¥349

$165 RON 717

-69.06%

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

$10.03 ¥68.7

$8.34 RON 36.37

20.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.33 ¥77.6

$10.05 RON 43.80

12.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 ¥275

$45.04 RON 196

-10.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.97 ¥103

$21.01 RON 91.6

-28.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 ¥41.74

$8.22 RON 35.82

-25.91%

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

$418 ¥2,860

$497 RON 2,169

-16.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ¥118.2K

$9,905 RON 43.2K

74.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.40 ¥318

$70.1 RON 305

-33.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.92 ¥226

$40.52 RON 177

-18.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 ¥487

$82.7 RON 360

-13.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥499

$91.9 RON 401

-20.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 ¥3,003

$496 RON 2,161

-11.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 ¥1,775

$365 RON 1,591

-28.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 ¥6,341

$844 RON 3,681

9.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 ¥3,754

$612 RON 2,669

-10.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 ¥34.6K

$2,641 RON 11.5K

91.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,666 ¥18.3K

$1,965 RON 8,566

35.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,074 ¥7,357

$1,099 RON 4,791

-2.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

6.84

-40.64%

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

Last update for China: April 26, 2026

Last update for Romania: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $391 in Romania. Capital cities: $886 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $643 in Bucharest.

National salary averages: $834 in China, $924 in Romania. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 37% higher in Romania.

Dining out costs 110% more in Romania.

Public transport is 17% more expensive in Romania.

Salaries are 11% higher in Romania, giving China stronger purchasing power.

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

China vs Romania: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $873 per month in China and $1,089 in Romania, there's a 25% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Romania beats China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Romania, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. China wins on affordability; Romania may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.