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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,115 per month in Craiova vs $899 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,639 per month in Craiova vs $1,454 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,163 per month in Craiova vs $2,010 in Bacau, rent included.

Craiova costs about 24% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Craiova and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Craiova 17% lower, Bacau 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.96 RON 40.53

$11.29 RON 51.1

-20.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.48 RON 210

$45.51 RON 206

2.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 RON 36.16

$8.28 RON 37.43

-3.50%

Cappuccino

$2.59 RON 11.73

$2.19 RON 9.93

18.26%

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

$2.09 RON 9.44

$2.18 RON 9.85

-4.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 RON 8.44

$1.88 RON 8.53

-0.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 RON 10.61

$2.23 RON 10.11

5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 RON 15.94

$3.53 RON 15.97

-0.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 6.84

$1.35 RON 6.09

11.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 RON 4.51

$0.85 RON 3.83

17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.72

$1.70 RON 7.69

0.59%

Eggs

$3.27 RON 14.78

$3.75 RON 16.98

-12.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 RON 35.10

$8.61 RON 38.96

-9.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 RON 29.60

$6.16 RON 27.86

6.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 RON 42.75

$9.34 RON 42.25

1.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 RON 5.80

$1.25 RON 5.67

2.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.64

$1.57 RON 7.11

7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.11

$1.72 RON 7.80

-8.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.47

$1.83 RON 8.27

2.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.68

$0.90 RON 4.07

14.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 RON 5.07

$0.87 RON 3.96

28.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RON 3.61

$0.67 RON 3.02

19.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.64

$0.75 RON 3.38

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.03 RON 27.26

$5.74 RON 25.98

5.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 RON 27.16

$6.72 RON 30.41

-10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 RON 5.95

$0.92 RON 4.18

42.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 RON 10.24

$1.33 RON 6.03

69.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.02

$0.64 RON 2.90

4.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.28 RON 105

$31.92 RON 144

-27.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 RON 2.58

$0.63 RON 2.84

-9.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.77

$0.62 RON 2.80

33.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 RON 32.12

$7.38 RON 33.38

-3.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.27

$1.60 RON 7.26

0.63%

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

$27.5K RON 124.6K

$27.9K RON 126.0K

-1.12%

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

$27.8K RON 125.9K

$26.2K RON 118.5K

6.27%

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

$212 RON 957

$117 RON 528

81.31%

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

$8.06 RON 36.48

$8.35 RON 37.78

-3.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.54 RON 52.2

$5.17 RON 23.37

123.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.06 RON 163

$24.99 RON 113

44.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 RON 84.8

$22.58 RON 102

-16.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 RON 30.28

$6.59 RON 29.83

1.52%

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

$436 RON 1,971

$644 RON 2,913

-32.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,920 RON 40.4K

$5,313 RON 24.0K

67.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 RON 364

$92.5 RON 418

-13.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.68 RON 166

$35.73 RON 162

2.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 RON 355

$63.1 RON 286

24.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 RON 397

$98.7 RON 447

-11.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 RON 1,751

$316 RON 1,432

22.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 RON 1,389

$187 RON 846

64.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 RON 3,287

$503 RON 2,276

44.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,028

$370 RON 1,675

21.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,639 RON 11.9K

$1,846 RON 8,352

42.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,047 RON 9,260

$1,248 RON 5,647

63.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$998 RON 4,516

$1,037 RON 4,693

-3.76%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Bacau: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $387 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 4% 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 $46.00 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $203 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 24%, 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 $1,673 per month in Craiova and $1,348 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 $46.00 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 $1,115 in Craiova and $899 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 $1,115 in Craiova and $899 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.