Cost of Living Comparison Between Craiova and Bacau Cost of Living Comparison Between Craiova and Bacau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,219 per month in Craiova vs $969 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,775 per month in Craiova vs $1,621 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,331 per month in Craiova vs $2,273 in Bacau, rent included.

Craiova costs about 26% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Craiova and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Craiova 11% lower, Bacau 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 RON 34.28

$14.97 RON 68.7

-50.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.52 RON 172

$86.4 RON 396

-56.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 RON 35.45

$7.80 RON 35.77

-0.90%

Cappuccino

$2.87 RON 13.18

$2.14 RON 9.83

34.11%

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

$2.31 RON 10.59

$2.10 RON 9.62

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.73

$1.91 RON 8.76

-0.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 RON 11.26

$2.71 RON 12.43

-9.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 RON 16.58

$3.39 RON 15.55

6.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 RON 6.06

$1.24 RON 5.71

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 RON 4.22

$0.69 RON 3.18

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 RON 6.86

$1.79 RON 8.23

-16.20%

Eggs

$3.44 RON 15.77

$3.52 RON 16.15

-2.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 RON 34.60

$7.86 RON 36.04

-4.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 RON 30.73

$5.59 RON 25.65

19.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.65 RON 53.5

$8.81 RON 40.42

32.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.79

$1.15 RON 5.27

-9.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.99

$1.51 RON 6.95

0.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.99

$1.65 RON 7.58

-7.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 RON 8.71

$1.89 RON 8.65

0.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 RON 3.92

$0.72 RON 3.28

19.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.32

$0.73 RON 3.33

28.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 RON 3.51

$0.76 RON 3.47

1.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.38

$0.77 RON 3.55

-3.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.70 RON 30.75

$5.71 RON 26.21

17.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 RON 30.90

$5.44 RON 24.96

23.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 RON 5.44

$1.02 RON 4.69

15.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 RON 7.36

$1.29 RON 5.93

24.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 RON 4.08

$0.78 RON 3.59

14.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.08 RON 120

$30.97 RON 142

-15.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.88

$0.61 RON 2.78

3.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.91

$0.69 RON 3.18

-7.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 RON 30.37

$7.16 RON 32.83

-7.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 RON 8.61

$1.79 RON 8.20

5.03%

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

$29.6K RON 136.0K

$28.8K RON 132.3K

2.79%

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

$27.3K RON 125.1K

$26.0K RON 119.3K

4.84%

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

$206 RON 947

$109 RON 502

88.43%

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

$10.52 RON 48.28

$7.82 RON 35.89

34.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.68 RON 53.6

$5.08 RON 23.29

129.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.43 RON 190

$27.15 RON 125

52.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.75 RON 104

$16.73 RON 76.7

35.98%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 RON 36.28

$6.50 RON 29.82

21.69%

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

$441 RON 2,025

$604 RON 2,771

-26.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,696 RON 39.9K

$5,174 RON 23.7K

68.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 RON 270

$86.9 RON 399

-32.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.69 RON 228

$32.84 RON 151

51.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 RON 379

$63.5 RON 291

30.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 497

$88.7 RON 407

22.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 RON 2,460

$426 RON 1,954

25.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 RON 1,840

$249 RON 1,144

60.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$921 RON 4,225

$560 RON 2,571

64.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 RON 2,836

$421 RON 1,934

46.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,767 RON 12.7K

$1,878 RON 8,616

47.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,050 RON 9,407

$1,271 RON 5,830

61.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$981 RON 4,500

$1,002 RON 4,598

-2.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.84

6.97

-1.87%

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

Last update for Craiova: September 15, 2026

Last update for Bacau: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $536 in Craiova versus $426 in Bacau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2% higher in Bacau, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Craiova versus $86.0 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Craiova vs $184 in Bacau – so Bacau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Craiova vs Bacau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Craiova is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,828 per month in Craiova and $1,454 in Bacau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Craiova and $86.0 in Bacau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,219 in Craiova and $969 in Bacau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $969, than in Craiova at $1,219. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Craiova it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bacau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Craiova makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.