Cost of Living Comparison Between Cugir and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Cugir and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $951 in Cugir versus $1,362 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,390 in Cugir versus $2,133 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,828 in Cugir versus $2,903 in Bucharest.

Living in Cugir costs roughly 30% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cugir is 29% below, Bucharest is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.41 RON 29.25

$14.09 RON 64.3

-54.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.17 RON 106

$68.8 RON 314

-66.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 RON 36.27

$8.08 RON 36.87

-1.61%

Cappuccino

$1.74 RON 7.92

$3.39 RON 15.48

-48.67%

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

$1.42 RON 6.49

$2.24 RON 10.24

-36.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 RON 6.11

$2.42 RON 11.04

-44.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 RON 7.13

$3.38 RON 15.44

-53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 RON 10.37

$3.83 RON 17.49

-40.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.01

$1.72 RON 7.84

-10.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 RON 5.78

$1.35 RON 6.16

-5.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.82

$1.83 RON 8.37

-18.58%

Eggs

$3.20 RON 14.60

$3.65 RON 16.65

-12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 RON 42.17

$9.23 RON 42.12

0.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 RON 29.31

$6.85 RON 31.29

-6.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 RON 51.8

$12.03 RON 54.9

-5.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 RON 4.95

$1.34 RON 6.12

-19.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.12

$1.72 RON 7.86

-9.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.07

$1.82 RON 8.30

-14.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 RON 11.18

$2.39 RON 10.92

2.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$1.04 RON 4.76

-24.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.67

$1.02 RON 4.65

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.25

$0.98 RON 4.47

-27.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.55

$0.95 RON 4.32

-17.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.78 RON 26.37

$6.40 RON 29.19

-9.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.46 RON 24.95

$6.50 RON 29.67

-16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 RON 5.48

$1.24 RON 5.66

-3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.91

$1.93 RON 8.82

-10.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.29

$1.14 RON 5.19

-36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.62 RON 89.5

$19.82 RON 90.5

-1.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 RON 2.55

$0.71 RON 3.26

-21.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 RON 2.47

$0.65 RON 2.98

-16.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.63 RON 25.68

$6.93 RON 31.64

-18.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 RON 6.80

$1.66 RON 7.56

-10.24%

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

$27.8K RON 126.8K

$29.0K RON 132.2K

-4.09%

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

$26.1K RON 119.3K

$30.1K RON 137.3K

-13.06%

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

$139 RON 634

$183 RON 837

-24.23%

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

$8.60 RON 39.27

$8.95 RON 40.86

-3.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.36 RON 42.74

$11.12 RON 50.8

-15.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.79 RON 186

$54.4 RON 248

-24.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.35 RON 88.4

$29.49 RON 135

-34.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 RON 36.09

$9.13 RON 41.68

-13.36%

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

$506 RON 2,309

$676 RON 3,088

-25.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 46.0K

$14.3K RON 65.4K

-29.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.52 RON 158

$81.1 RON 370

-57.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.08 RON 41.45

$44.42 RON 203

-79.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 RON 376

$89.8 RON 410

-8.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 RON 415

$108 RON 494

-15.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$392 RON 1,791

$662 RON 3,022

-40.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 RON 1,341

$441 RON 2,011

-33.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 RON 2,718

$1,352 RON 6,173

-55.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 RON 1,961

$849 RON 3,874

-49.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,925 RON 8,786

$3,777 RON 17.2K

-49.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,593 RON 7,274

$2,231 RON 10.2K

-28.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 RON 2,492

$1,408 RON 6,427

-61.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

7.1

-6.20%

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

Last update for Cugir: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $392 in Cugir and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 158% 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: $23.00 in Cugir vs $69.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $230 per month, with Cugir 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

Cugir vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cugir and Bucharest differ by about 43% in total monthly costs ($951 vs $1,362 including rent). Cugir is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 158% lower in Bucharest. 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: $392 in Cugir versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $951 per month in Cugir versus $1,362 in Bucharest – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cugir runs roughly 1% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $951 in Cugir versus $1,362 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cugir but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Cugir 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.

Expats usually find Cugir gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.