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: $1,138 in Chitila versus $1,430 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,760 in Chitila versus $2,131 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,381 in Chitila versus $2,833 in Bucharest.

Living in Chitila costs roughly 20% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Chitila is 17% below, Bucharest is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.09 RON 59.1

$15.63 RON 70.6

-16.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.8 RON 279

$62.3 RON 281

-0.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 RON 35.69

$7.85 RON 35.44

0.76%

Cappuccino

$3.33 RON 15.02

$3.63 RON 16.37

-8.26%

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

$1.84 RON 8.30

$2.48 RON 11.18

-25.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 RON 6.09

$2.36 RON 10.64

-42.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 RON 10.15

$3.92 RON 17.70

-42.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 RON 14.78

$4.50 RON 20.31

-27.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.80 RON 8.12

-3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.91

$1.41 RON 6.36

-7.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.80

$1.78 RON 8.03

-2.81%

Eggs

$3.12 RON 14.08

$3.88 RON 17.50

-19.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.16 RON 36.83

$9.61 RON 43.40

-15.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.76 RON 26.00

$7.16 RON 32.32

-19.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.36 RON 42.27

$12.25 RON 55.3

-23.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.03

$1.31 RON 5.93

2.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.55

$1.70 RON 7.66

-1.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.36

$1.63 RON 7.35

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 RON 12.25

$2.78 RON 12.54

-2.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 RON 3.85

$0.86 RON 3.89

-1.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.42

$0.74 RON 3.36

2.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 RON 4.18

$0.94 RON 4.25

-1.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$0.97 RON 4.40

-5.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.54 RON 29.55

$6.87 RON 31.01

-4.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.59 RON 29.75

$6.66 RON 30.05

-1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.85

$1.26 RON 5.67

-15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.73 RON 7.81

0.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 RON 3.69

$1.08 RON 4.86

-24.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.09 RON 104

$21.84 RON 98.6

5.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 RON 3.10

$0.64 RON 2.88

7.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.90

$0.68 RON 3.08

-5.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.53 RON 29.47

$6.46 RON 29.18

1.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.93 RON 8.71

$1.98 RON 8.96

-2.53%

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

$29.2K RON 132.0K

$29.4K RON 132.6K

-0.44%

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

$26.2K RON 118.4K

$27.8K RON 125.7K

-5.82%

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

$177 RON 800

$204 RON 920

-13.00%

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

$8.19 RON 36.98

$8.53 RON 38.52

-3.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.23 RON 46.18

$9.87 RON 44.56

3.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.81 RON 184

$54.7 RON 247

-25.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.09 RON 95.2

$25.58 RON 115

-17.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.29 RON 32.93

$8.86 RON 40.00

-17.72%

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

$599 RON 2,706

$663 RON 2,994

-9.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,355 RON 33.2K

$15.3K RON 69.0K

-51.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 RON 396

$95.2 RON 430

-7.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.53 RON 219

$40.99 RON 185

18.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 RON 413

$82.7 RON 373

10.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 RON 411

$101 RON 454

-9.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 RON 1,834

$710 RON 3,204

-42.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$302 RON 1,362

$490 RON 2,214

-38.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$629 RON 2,840

$1,130 RON 5,101

-44.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 RON 2,118

$759 RON 3,426

-38.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 RON 8,697

$3,914 RON 17.7K

-50.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,368 RON 6,175

$2,317 RON 10.5K

-40.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$889 RON 4,012

$1,486 RON 6,708

-40.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.93

6.83

1.46%

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

Last update for Chitila: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $406 in Chitila and $710 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 67% 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: $62.0 in Chitila vs $62.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $236 per month, with Chitila 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

Chitila vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chitila and Bucharest differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,138 vs $1,430 including rent). Chitila is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 67% 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: $406 in Chitila versus $710 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,138 per month in Chitila versus $1,430 in Bucharest – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Chitila runs roughly 6% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,138 in Chitila versus $1,430 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 26% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.