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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,106 per month in Craiova vs $886 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,643 per month in Craiova vs $1,475 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,180 per month in Craiova vs $2,063 in Bacau, rent included.

Craiova costs about 25% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Craiova and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Craiova 17% lower, Bacau 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.06 RON 39.52

$11.62 RON 50.7

-22.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.77 RON 200

$46.60 RON 203

-1.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.27 RON 36.06

$8.13 RON 35.44

1.72%

Cappuccino

$2.49 RON 10.84

$2.27 RON 9.91

9.69%

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

$2.19 RON 9.53

$2.14 RON 9.31

2.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.56

$1.82 RON 7.94

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 RON 10.32

$2.28 RON 9.93

3.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 RON 14.98

$3.53 RON 15.41

-2.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 6.83

$1.38 RON 6.03

13.77%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 RON 4.31

$0.85 RON 3.71

16.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.38

$1.71 RON 7.45

-1.17%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 14.60

$3.66 RON 15.96

-8.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 RON 33.59

$8.60 RON 37.49

-10.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 RON 29.25

$6.43 RON 28.02

4.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 RON 42.65

$9.15 RON 39.91

6.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 RON 5.53

$1.22 RON 5.31

4.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.25

$1.62 RON 7.07

2.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 6.85

$1.68 RON 7.31

-6.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 RON 7.94

$1.84 RON 8.01

-1.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.50

$0.96 RON 4.18

7.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 RON 4.78

$0.89 RON 3.89

23.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 RON 3.70

$0.72 RON 3.15

18.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 RON 3.31

$0.79 RON 3.46

-3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 RON 25.95

$5.86 RON 25.56

1.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 RON 27.67

$7.03 RON 30.64

-9.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 RON 5.47

$0.94 RON 4.09

32.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 RON 9.55

$1.28 RON 5.59

71.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.09

$0.65 RON 2.81

9.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.01 RON 100

$32.34 RON 141

-28.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 RON 2.65

$0.63 RON 2.73

-3.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.54

$0.65 RON 2.84

24.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 RON 29.96

$7.44 RON 32.45

-7.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 6.83

$1.53 RON 6.66

2.61%

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

$27.9K RON 121.4K

$28.4K RON 123.9K

-1.99%

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

$27.4K RON 119.4K

$26.2K RON 114.4K

4.38%

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

$207 RON 902

$114 RON 499

80.91%

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

$7.90 RON 34.45

$8.38 RON 36.55

-5.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.74 RON 51.2

$5.07 RON 22.12

131.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.46 RON 159

$25.14 RON 110

45.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 RON 80.6

$23.01 RON 100

-19.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 RON 29.43

$6.49 RON 28.30

4.01%

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

$445 RON 1,941

$643 RON 2,805

-30.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,844 RON 38.6K

$5,453 RON 23.8K

62.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.9 RON 344

$93.0 RON 405

-15.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.74 RON 165

$34.45 RON 150

9.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 RON 343

$62.4 RON 272

26.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 RON 373

$95.9 RON 418

-10.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 RON 1,668

$326 RON 1,423

17.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 RON 1,374

$182 RON 794

72.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 RON 3,141

$502 RON 2,190

43.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 RON 1,935

$361 RON 1,575

22.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,730 RON 11.9K

$1,930 RON 8,416

41.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 RON 9,133

$1,279 RON 5,578

63.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,077 RON 4,697

$1,060 RON 4,620

1.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

6.5

-3.38%

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

Last update for Craiova: April 26, 2026

Last update for Bacau: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $382 in Craiova versus $326 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 Craiova, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Craiova versus $47.00 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Craiova vs $199 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 25%, 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 $1,659 per month in Craiova and $1,329 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 $46.00 in Craiova and $47.00 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 $1,106 in Craiova and $886 in Bacau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,106 in Craiova and $886 in Bacau, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

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.