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: $1,115 in Craiova versus $1,331 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,639 in Craiova versus $2,166 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,163 in Craiova versus $3,000 in Bucharest.

Living in Craiova costs roughly 16% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Craiova 17% lower, Bucharest 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.96 RON 40.53

$13.87 RON 62.7

-35.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.48 RON 210

$70.0 RON 317

-33.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 RON 36.16

$8.23 RON 37.24

-2.92%

Cappuccino

$2.59 RON 11.73

$3.45 RON 15.60

-24.93%

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

$2.09 RON 9.44

$2.33 RON 10.54

-10.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 RON 8.44

$2.31 RON 10.47

-19.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 RON 10.61

$3.51 RON 15.89

-33.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 RON 15.94

$3.79 RON 17.16

-7.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 6.84

$1.78 RON 8.06

-15.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 RON 4.51

$1.43 RON 6.47

-30.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.72

$1.83 RON 8.28

-6.56%

Eggs

$3.27 RON 14.78

$3.53 RON 15.98

-7.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 RON 35.10

$9.61 RON 43.47

-19.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 RON 29.60

$6.92 RON 31.28

-5.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 RON 42.75

$12.27 RON 55.5

-22.98%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 RON 5.80

$1.39 RON 6.29

-7.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.64

$1.72 RON 7.76

-1.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.11

$1.75 RON 7.92

-10.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.47

$2.40 RON 10.85

-22.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.68

$1.04 RON 4.69

-0.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 RON 5.07

$0.96 RON 4.36

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RON 3.61

$0.98 RON 4.46

-18.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.64

$0.91 RON 4.12

-12.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.03 RON 27.26

$6.35 RON 28.73

-5.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 RON 27.16

$6.62 RON 29.94

-9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 RON 5.95

$1.22 RON 5.54

7.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 RON 10.24

$2.01 RON 9.08

12.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.02

$1.12 RON 5.05

-40.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.28 RON 105

$19.94 RON 90.2

16.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 RON 2.58

$0.70 RON 3.18

-18.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.77

$0.66 RON 2.97

25.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 RON 32.12

$6.79 RON 30.74

4.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.27

$1.73 RON 7.81

-6.94%

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

$27.5K RON 124.6K

$29.1K RON 131.5K

-5.26%

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

$27.8K RON 125.9K

$30.4K RON 137.4K

-8.38%

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

$212 RON 957

$178 RON 804

19.01%

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

$8.06 RON 36.48

$9.16 RON 41.45

-12.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.54 RON 52.2

$11.22 RON 50.7

2.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.06 RON 163

$55.2 RON 250

-34.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 RON 84.8

$29.55 RON 134

-36.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 RON 30.28

$8.96 RON 40.51

-25.33%

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

$436 RON 1,971

$657 RON 2,973

-33.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,920 RON 40.4K

$14.5K RON 65.8K

-38.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 RON 364

$81.4 RON 368

-1.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.68 RON 166

$45.88 RON 208

-20.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 RON 355

$89.4 RON 405

-12.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 RON 397

$109 RON 495

-19.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 RON 1,751

$644 RON 2,914

-39.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 RON 1,389

$444 RON 2,007

-30.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 RON 3,287

$1,343 RON 6,074

-45.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,028

$847 RON 3,833

-47.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,639 RON 11.9K

$3,941 RON 17.8K

-33.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,047 RON 9,260

$2,248 RON 10.2K

-8.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$998 RON 4,516

$1,425 RON 6,444

-29.91%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Craiova and $644 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 43% 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 $70.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 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 19% in total monthly costs ($1,115 vs $1,331 including rent). Craiova is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bucharest earns 43% 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: $387 in Craiova versus $644 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,115 per month in Craiova versus $1,331 in Bucharest – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 17% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,115 in Craiova versus $1,331 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 19% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.