Cost of Living Comparison Between Craiova and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Craiova and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,106 in Craiova versus $1,354 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,643 in Craiova versus $2,145 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,180 in Craiova versus $2,936 in Bucharest.

Living in Craiova costs roughly 18% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Craiova is 17% below, Bucharest is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.06 RON 39.52

$13.79 RON 60.1

-34.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.77 RON 200

$68.5 RON 299

-33.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.27 RON 36.06

$7.85 RON 34.21

5.35%

Cappuccino

$2.49 RON 10.84

$3.39 RON 14.77

-26.55%

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

$2.19 RON 9.53

$2.33 RON 10.15

-6.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.56

$2.29 RON 10.00

-14.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 RON 10.32

$3.47 RON 15.12

-31.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 RON 14.98

$3.98 RON 17.35

-13.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 6.83

$1.73 RON 7.54

-9.25%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 RON 4.31

$1.35 RON 5.88

-26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.38

$1.91 RON 8.34

-11.52%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 14.60

$3.49 RON 15.20

-4.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 RON 33.59

$9.57 RON 41.74

-19.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 RON 29.25

$6.97 RON 30.38

-3.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.78 RON 42.65

$12.12 RON 52.8

-19.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 RON 5.53

$1.39 RON 6.07

-8.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.25

$1.71 RON 7.45

-2.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 6.85

$1.84 RON 8.03

-14.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 RON 7.94

$2.51 RON 10.93

-27.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.50

$1.00 RON 4.37

3.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 RON 4.78

$0.96 RON 4.18

14.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 RON 3.70

$0.91 RON 3.98

-6.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 RON 3.31

$0.89 RON 3.90

-14.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.95 RON 25.95

$6.35 RON 27.67

-6.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.35 RON 27.67

$7.02 RON 30.62

-9.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 RON 5.47

$1.27 RON 5.54

-1.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 RON 9.55

$1.93 RON 8.42

13.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.09

$1.13 RON 4.94

-37.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.01 RON 100

$19.18 RON 83.6

19.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 RON 2.65

$0.67 RON 2.92

-8.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.54

$0.60 RON 2.61

35.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.87 RON 29.96

$6.85 RON 29.89

0.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 6.83

$1.72 RON 7.52

-8.72%

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

$27.9K RON 121.4K

$29.1K RON 126.7K

-4.15%

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

$27.4K RON 119.4K

$30.3K RON 132.1K

-9.66%

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

$207 RON 902

$181 RON 788

14.54%

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

$7.90 RON 34.45

$8.87 RON 38.69

-10.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.74 RON 51.2

$11.10 RON 48.39

5.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.46 RON 159

$54.9 RON 239

-33.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.49 RON 80.6

$29.47 RON 129

-37.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 RON 29.43

$9.16 RON 39.96

-26.31%

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

$445 RON 1,941

$658 RON 2,868

-32.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,844 RON 38.6K

$14.3K RON 62.4K

-38.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.9 RON 344

$81.9 RON 357

-3.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.74 RON 165

$45.07 RON 196

-16.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 RON 343

$91.8 RON 400

-14.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 RON 373

$108 RON 472

-21.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 RON 1,668

$643 RON 2,805

-40.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 RON 1,374

$443 RON 1,931

-28.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 RON 3,141

$1,329 RON 5,794

-45.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$444 RON 1,935

$844 RON 3,680

-47.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,730 RON 11.9K

$4,172 RON 18.2K

-34.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 RON 9,133

$2,298 RON 10.0K

-8.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,077 RON 4,697

$1,515 RON 6,604

-28.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

7.1

-11.55%

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

Last update for Craiova: April 26, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $382 in Craiova and $643 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 41% 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: $46.00 in Craiova vs $68.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $233 per month, with Craiova cheaper across the board.

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 Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Craiova and Bucharest differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,106 vs $1,354 including rent). Craiova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bucharest earns 41% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $382 in Craiova versus $643 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,106 per month in Craiova versus $1,354 in Bucharest – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 20% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,106 in Craiova versus $1,354 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Craiova but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Craiova the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Craiova 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.

Expats usually find Craiova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.