Cost of Living Comparison Between Chitila and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Chitila and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,173 in Chitila versus $1,362 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,812 in Chitila versus $2,133 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,450 in Chitila versus $2,903 in Bucharest.

Living in Chitila costs roughly 14% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chitila is 12% below, Bucharest is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.59 RON 62.0

$14.09 RON 64.3

-3.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 RON 320

$68.8 RON 314

1.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.24 RON 37.60

$8.08 RON 36.87

1.98%

Cappuccino

$3.31 RON 15.10

$3.39 RON 15.48

-2.36%

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

$1.90 RON 8.67

$2.24 RON 10.24

-15.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 RON 6.17

$2.42 RON 11.04

-44.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 RON 10.72

$3.38 RON 15.44

-30.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 RON 15.03

$3.83 RON 17.49

-14.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 RON 7.97

$1.72 RON 7.84

1.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 RON 5.91

$1.35 RON 6.16

-4.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.63

$1.83 RON 8.37

3.28%

Eggs

$3.29 RON 15.01

$3.65 RON 16.65

-9.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 RON 42.67

$9.23 RON 42.12

1.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.74 RON 30.76

$6.85 RON 31.29

-1.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.54 RON 52.7

$12.03 RON 54.9

-4.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.13

$1.34 RON 6.12

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.92

$1.72 RON 7.86

0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.12

$1.82 RON 8.30

-2.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 RON 11.12

$2.39 RON 10.92

2.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.71

$1.04 RON 4.76

-0.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.73

$1.02 RON 4.65

1.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 RON 4.59

$0.98 RON 4.47

3.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.15

$0.95 RON 4.32

-4.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 RON 29.53

$6.40 RON 29.19

1.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.64 RON 30.30

$6.50 RON 29.67

2.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.96

$1.24 RON 5.66

-12.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 RON 8.16

$1.93 RON 8.82

-7.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.28

$1.14 RON 5.19

-36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.72 RON 90.0

$19.82 RON 90.5

-0.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 3.02

$0.71 RON 3.26

-7.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 RON 3.02

$0.65 RON 2.98

1.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.92 RON 31.59

$6.93 RON 31.64

-0.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.79

$1.66 RON 7.56

3.01%

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

$28.6K RON 130.6K

$29.0K RON 132.2K

-1.17%

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

$27.9K RON 127.3K

$30.1K RON 137.3K

-7.30%

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

$180 RON 820

$183 RON 837

-2.08%

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

$8.89 RON 40.57

$8.95 RON 40.86

-0.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.29 RON 51.5

$11.12 RON 50.8

1.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.20 RON 188

$54.4 RON 248

-24.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.02 RON 86.8

$29.49 RON 135

-35.50%

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 RON 36.66

$9.13 RON 41.68

-12.05%

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

$550 RON 2,510

$676 RON 3,088

-18.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,419 RON 38.4K

$14.3K RON 65.4K

-41.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 RON 368

$81.1 RON 370

-0.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 RON 293

$44.42 RON 203

44.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.2 RON 421

$89.8 RON 410

2.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.7 RON 414

$108 RON 494

-16.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 RON 1,749

$662 RON 3,022

-42.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 RON 1,311

$441 RON 2,011

-34.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 RON 2,710

$1,352 RON 6,173

-56.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 2,020

$849 RON 3,874

-47.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,953 RON 8,916

$3,777 RON 17.2K

-48.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,402 RON 6,402

$2,231 RON 10.2K

-37.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$884 RON 4,037

$1,408 RON 6,427

-37.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.78

7.1

-4.51%

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

Last update for Chitila: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $383 in Chitila and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 59% 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: $70.0 in Chitila vs $69.0 in Bucharest. Groceries flip the comparison at $226 vs $230, with Chitila cheaper for home cooking.

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

Chitila vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chitila and Bucharest differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,173 vs $1,362 including rent). Chitila is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 59% lower in Bucharest. 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: $383 in Chitila versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,173 per month in Chitila versus $1,362 in Bucharest – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chitila runs roughly 1% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,173 in Chitila versus $1,362 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chitila but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Chitila 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.

Expats usually find Chitila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.