Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Como and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Bucharest: $1,351 a month against $1,996 in Como, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Como
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,996
/mo nomad
Bucharest
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,351
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Como and in Bucharest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Como and in Bucharest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,996 in Como versus $1,351 in Bucharest.

  • Como $1,996
  • Bucharest $1,351

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,171 in Como versus $2,033 in Bucharest.

  • Como $3,171
  • Bucharest $2,033

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,345 in Como versus $2,715 in Bucharest.

  • Como $4,345
  • Bucharest $2,715

Living in Como is roughly 48% more expensive than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Como 49% above, Bucharest 1% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Como
Bucharest
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.12 €19.74
$14.46 RON 68.4
52.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$85.5 €76.3
$57.7 RON 273
48.36%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.58 €12.12
$7.50 RON 35.46
81.07%
Cappuccino
$2.07 €1.84
$3.43 RON 16.20
-39.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40 €3.03
$2.46 RON 11.63
38.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56 €1.39
$2.33 RON 11.01
-33.05%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.71 €5.99
$3.80 RON 17.97
76.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.88 €5.25
$4.10 RON 19.41
43.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Como
Bucharest
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.91 €1.70
$1.65 RON 7.79
15.76%
White Bread (500g)
$2.28 €2.04
$1.35 RON 6.39
68.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.96 €2.65
$1.78 RON 8.42
66.29%
Eggs
$4.37 €3.90
$3.66 RON 17.33
19.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.59 €15.70
$8.57 RON 40.54
105.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$13.57 €12.11
$6.80 RON 32.17
99.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$24.21 €21.60
$11.72 RON 55.4
106.57%
Apples (1kg)
$1.81 €1.62
$1.29 RON 6.11
40.31%
Banana (1kg)
$2.36 €2.11
$1.56 RON 7.37
51.28%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.93 €2.61
$1.54 RON 7.28
90.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.79 €3.38
$2.48 RON 11.75
52.82%
Potato (1kg)
$2.60 €2.32
$0.83 RON 3.92
213.25%
Onion (1kg)
$1.60 €1.43
$0.80 RON 3.77
100.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.47 €1.31
$0.84 RON 3.98
75.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 €0.49
$0.93 RON 4.39
-40.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.91 €6.17
$6.44 RON 30.45
7.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.03 €7.16
$6.32 RON 29.91
27.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.10 €1.87
$1.26 RON 5.94
66.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 €2.20
$1.60 RON 7.59
54.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Como
Bucharest
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.11 €1.88
$0.81 RON 3.85
160.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$46.08 €41.12
$21.13 RON 99.9
118.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.73 €7.79
$0.60 RON 2.86
1355.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.30 €2.05
$0.61 RON 2.91
277.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$39.74 €35.46
$6.17 RON 29.19
544.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.02 €1.80
$1.96 RON 9.27
3.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.9K €32.9K
$28.1K RON 133.1K
31.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.0K €31.3K
$26.3K RON 124.3K
33.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Como
Bucharest
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$221 €197
$197 RON 931
12.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 €11.93
$8.34 RON 39.44
60.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.85 €27.53
$9.19 RON 43.47
235.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Como
Bucharest
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.26 €30.57
$49.87 RON 236
-31.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$32.41 €28.92
$24.99 RON 118
29.69%
Cinema Ticket
$11.26 €10.05
$8.46 RON 40.01
33.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Como
Bucharest
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$778 €695
$639 RON 3,023
21.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.1K €17.0K
$14.4K RON 68.1K
32.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Como
Bucharest
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$114 €102
$90.6 RON 429
26.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.10 €34.90
$38.05 RON 180
2.76%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$125 €112
$79.7 RON 377
57.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$171 €153
$93.2 RON 441
83.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Como
Bucharest
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,149 €1,026
$673 RON 3,184
70.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$753 €672
$449 RON 2,123
67.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,053 €1,832
$1,098 RON 5,195
86.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,350 €1,205
$729 RON 3,448
85.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,856 €4,333
$3,740 RON 17.7K
29.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,001 €1,786
$2,189 RON 10.4K
-8.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Como
Bucharest
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,287 €2,041
$1,323 RON 6,259
72.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.92
6.74
-56.68%

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

Last update for Como: October 4, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Como
$753
Bucharest
$449 40.4% $304
Groceries & Markets
Como
$373
Bucharest
$222 40.6% $152
Eating Out
Como
$308
Bucharest
$226 26.6% $82
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Como
$265
Bucharest
$214 19.1% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Como
$202
Bucharest
$136 33% $67
Getting Around
Como
$75
Bucharest
$28 62.5% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Como
$57
Bucharest
$67 17.6% $10

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,149 in Como and $673 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Como pays 73% 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: $86.0 in Como vs $58.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $373 vs $222 per month, with Bucharest cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Como
🇷🇴 Bucharest
🕒 Local time
03:32 3:32 AM
04:32 4:32 AM
1 h ahead of Como
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
78,680
1,883,425 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.892 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.3 RON (1 RON = 0.189 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Como Bucharest 1,340 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Como
  • Bucharest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Como vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Como and in Bucharest?
Como and Bucharest differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($1,996 vs $1,351 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Como or Bucharest?
Average pay runs 73% higher in Como, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Como and in Bucharest?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,149 in Como versus $673 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Como or Bucharest?
All in, you'll spend $1,996 per month in Como versus $1,351 in Bucharest – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Como and in Bucharest?
A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 118% less than in Como. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,351 in Bucharest versus $1,996 in Como, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Como. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Como and Bucharest?
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.
Is Como or Bucharest safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Como 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.
Where should expats move: Como or Bucharest?
Expats usually find Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Como. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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