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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,109 per month in Craiova vs $882 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,650 per month in Craiova vs $1,466 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,191 per month in Craiova vs $2,051 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 17% lower, Bacau 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.38 RON 42.84

$11.69 RON 53.4

-19.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.95 RON 210

$46.62 RON 213

-1.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 RON 36.34

$8.10 RON 37.00

-1.73%

Cappuccino

$2.49 RON 11.36

$2.24 RON 10.22

11.16%

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

$2.10 RON 9.59

$2.10 RON 9.57

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.79

$1.90 RON 8.65

1.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 RON 10.26

$2.26 RON 10.31

-0.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 RON 15.29

$3.66 RON 16.72

-8.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 RON 7.12

$1.33 RON 6.06

17.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 RON 4.56

$0.90 RON 4.12

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.80

$1.70 RON 7.75

0.59%

Eggs

$3.23 RON 14.73

$3.72 RON 16.98

-13.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.72 RON 35.27

$8.56 RON 39.08

-9.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 RON 29.60

$6.24 RON 28.48

3.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 RON 44.79

$9.07 RON 41.43

8.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.63

$1.27 RON 5.78

-3.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.76

$1.60 RON 7.30

6.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.30

$1.64 RON 7.50

-2.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.40

$1.87 RON 8.52

-1.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 RON 4.90

$0.96 RON 4.40

11.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 RON 5.19

$0.82 RON 3.73

39.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RON 3.65

$0.71 RON 3.26

12.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.66

$0.77 RON 3.52

3.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 RON 26.86

$5.87 RON 26.82

0.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.34 RON 28.93

$6.61 RON 30.18

-4.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 RON 5.93

$0.92 RON 4.21

41.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 RON 10.29

$1.29 RON 5.91

74.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.29

$0.63 RON 2.90

14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.02 RON 105

$32.33 RON 148

-28.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 RON 2.56

$0.61 RON 2.79

-8.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.06

$0.62 RON 2.83

43.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 RON 30.83

$7.74 RON 35.35

-12.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.32

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

$27.5K RON 125.5K

$28.6K RON 130.4K

-3.79%

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

$27.6K RON 126.1K

$26.1K RON 119.1K

5.86%

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

$212 RON 969

$117 RON 532

82.06%

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

$8.08 RON 36.89

$8.43 RON 38.50

-4.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.58 RON 52.9

$5.06 RON 23.10

128.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.03 RON 169

$25.75 RON 118

43.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.97 RON 86.6

$22.93 RON 105

-17.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 RON 29.89

$6.56 RON 29.98

-0.30%

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

$434 RON 1,980

$657 RON 2,998

-33.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,856 RON 40.4K

$5,489 RON 25.1K

61.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 RON 358

$93.3 RON 426

-15.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.91 RON 173

$35.15 RON 161

7.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 RON 354

$63.7 RON 291

21.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 RON 396

$95.6 RON 437

-9.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 RON 1,764

$316 RON 1,444

22.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 RON 1,446

$181 RON 826

74.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 RON 3,223

$512 RON 2,338

37.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 RON 1,989

$369 RON 1,685

18.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,735 RON 12.5K

$1,889 RON 8,626

44.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,998 RON 9,122

$1,250 RON 5,709

59.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$945 RON 4,316

$1,021 RON 4,663

-7.43%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bacau: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $386 in Craiova versus $316 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 8% 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 $46.00 in Craiova versus $47.00 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Craiova vs $197 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 $1,664 per month in Craiova and $1,323 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 $1,109 in Craiova and $882 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 $882, than in Craiova at $1,109. 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.