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: $713 in China versus $1,032 in Romania.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in China versus $1,581 in Romania.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $2,130 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 ($535–$1,206) and Romania ($802–$1,374) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.36

$11.40 RON 51.6

-74.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.29 ¥158

$46.17 RON 209

-49.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.66

$7.85 RON 35.53

-38.47%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.52

$2.89 RON 13.06

5.19%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$1.95 RON 8.81

-76.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$1.86 RON 8.41

-85.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ¥6.71

$2.79 RON 12.61

-64.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥13.74

$3.47 RON 15.69

-41.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.86

$1.61 RON 7.28

8.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.22 RON 5.52

36.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.56

$1.80 RON 8.12

-46.11%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.45

$3.35 RON 15.16

-54.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 ¥89.9

$8.94 RON 40.45

48.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥21.69

$6.86 RON 31.01

-53.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 ¥73.0

$11.17 RON 50.5

-3.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.27

$1.18 RON 5.34

53.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.84

$1.61 RON 7.29

-18.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.15

$1.65 RON 7.47

-9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.74

$2.23 RON 10.09

-48.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.90

$0.92 RON 4.16

-20.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.86

$0.97 RON 4.41

-10.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$1.00 RON 4.51

-43.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.81 RON 3.66

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ¥23.88

$6.24 RON 28.22

-43.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 ¥79.2

$6.72 RON 30.38

74.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.67

$1.12 RON 5.05

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.29

$1.79 RON 8.10

-6.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.75

$0.80 RON 3.60

-48.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥141

$22.67 RON 103

-8.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.21

$0.91 RON 4.09

49.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

$0.70 RON 3.16

-52.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 ¥46.40

$8.04 RON 36.39

-14.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.57

$1.65 RON 7.45

-32.12%

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

$19.2K ¥129.8K

$28.2K RON 127.7K

-32.04%

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

$16.9K ¥114.4K

$27.0K RON 122.0K

-37.27%

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

$51.8 ¥350

$161 RON 727

-67.77%

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

$9.85 ¥66.6

$8.42 RON 38.08

16.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.13 ¥75.3

$9.59 RON 43.37

16.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.10 ¥264

$43.78 RON 198

-10.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 ¥101

$20.48 RON 92.6

-27.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ¥42.24

$8.30 RON 37.53

-24.70%

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

$404 ¥2,732

$491 RON 2,222

-17.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥120.5K

$10.0K RON 45.3K

78.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.11 ¥312

$68.8 RON 311

-32.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.27 ¥218

$41.83 RON 189

-22.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 ¥491

$82.4 RON 373

-11.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥493

$92.7 RON 419

-21.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥3,009

$495 RON 2,241

-10.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 ¥1,727

$356 RON 1,610

-28.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ¥6,266

$823 RON 3,724

12.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 ¥3,600

$603 RON 2,727

-11.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,943 ¥33.4K

$2,582 RON 11.7K

91.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,492 ¥16.9K

$1,891 RON 8,556

31.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,057 ¥7,148

$1,065 RON 4,816

-0.70%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Romania: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $392 in Romania. Capital cities: $913 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $644 in Bucharest.

National salary averages: $862 in China, $891 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.

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 $871 per month in China and $1,088 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.