Cost of Living Comparison Between Dealu and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Dealu and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,095 in Dealu versus $1,354 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,729 in Dealu versus $2,145 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,362 in Dealu versus $2,936 in Bucharest.

Living in Dealu costs roughly 19% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dealu is 18% below, Bucharest is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.66 RON 50.7

$13.79 RON 60.0

-15.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.0 RON 252

$68.5 RON 298

-15.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 RON 34.09

$7.85 RON 34.13

-0.13%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 14.73

$3.39 RON 14.74

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

$2.32 RON 10.08

$2.33 RON 10.13

-0.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 RON 9.51

$2.29 RON 9.97

-4.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 RON 14.11

$3.47 RON 15.09

-6.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.99 RON 17.35

$3.98 RON 17.31

0.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 RON 7.69

$1.73 RON 7.52

2.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 RON 5.66

$1.35 RON 5.87

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.20

$1.91 RON 8.32

-1.05%

Eggs

$3.34 RON 14.52

$3.49 RON 15.17

-4.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.18 RON 44.28

$9.57 RON 41.64

6.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.93 RON 30.14

$6.97 RON 30.31

-0.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 RON 52.3

$12.12 RON 52.7

-0.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.15

$1.39 RON 6.05

-15.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.67

$1.71 RON 7.44

2.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 6.76

$1.84 RON 8.01

-15.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.43

$2.51 RON 10.90

-4.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.41

$1.00 RON 4.36

1.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.27

$0.96 RON 4.17

2.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 RON 4.49

$0.91 RON 3.97

13.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.15

$0.89 RON 3.89

6.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.20 RON 26.97

$6.35 RON 27.61

-2.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.97 RON 30.32

$7.02 RON 30.55

-0.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 RON 5.02

$1.27 RON 5.53

-9.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 RON 8.59

$1.93 RON 8.40

2.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.10

$1.13 RON 4.93

-37.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.54 RON 85.0

$19.18 RON 83.4

1.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 RON 4.38

$0.67 RON 2.92

50.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 RON 3.32

$0.60 RON 2.61

26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.36 RON 40.70

$6.85 RON 29.82

36.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 RON 7.10

$1.72 RON 7.50

-5.23%

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

$27.5K RON 119.5K

$29.1K RON 126.4K

-5.44%

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

$26.5K RON 115.5K

$30.3K RON 131.8K

-12.39%

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

$155 RON 676

$181 RON 786

-13.99%

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

$9.14 RON 39.77

$8.87 RON 38.60

3.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.89 RON 43.01

$11.10 RON 48.28

-10.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.74 RON 177

$54.9 RON 239

-25.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.24 RON 83.7

$29.47 RON 128

-34.71%

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 RON 35.25

$9.16 RON 39.86

-11.57%

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

$492 RON 2,140

$658 RON 2,861

-25.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K RON 46.2K

$14.3K RON 62.2K

-25.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 RON 299

$81.9 RON 356

-16.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.99 RON 178

$45.07 RON 196

-9.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 RON 369

$91.8 RON 399

-7.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 437

$108 RON 471

-7.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 RON 1,693

$643 RON 2,798

-39.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 RON 1,267

$443 RON 1,927

-34.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 RON 2,594

$1,329 RON 5,781

-55.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 1,929

$844 RON 3,672

-47.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,826 RON 7,944

$4,172 RON 18.2K

-56.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,267 RON 5,513

$2,298 RON 9,997

-44.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,515 RON 6,589

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

7.1

-17.61%

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

Last update for Dealu: April 26, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $389 in Dealu and $643 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $58.0 in Dealu vs $68.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $233 per month, with Dealu 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

Dealu vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dealu and Bucharest differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,095 vs $1,354 including rent). Dealu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,643 in Dealu and $2,031 in Bucharest to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $389 in Dealu versus $643 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,095 per month in Dealu versus $1,354 in Bucharest – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dealu runs roughly 2% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,095 in Dealu versus $1,354 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dealu but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Dealu 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, Dealu 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 Dealu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.