Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fribourg and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Bucharest: $1,340 a month against $3,310 in Fribourg, rent and utilities included – about $23,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

160

Cost of Living Index in Fribourg
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Fribourg Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index

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Fribourg

🇨🇭 Switzerland

$3,310

/mo nomad

Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,340

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fribourg and in Bucharest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Fribourg and in Bucharest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,310 in Fribourg versus $1,340 in Bucharest.

Fribourg $3,310
Bucharest $1,340

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,866 in Fribourg versus $2,037 in Bucharest.

Fribourg $4,866
Bucharest $2,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,423 in Fribourg versus $2,734 in Bucharest.

Fribourg $6,423
Bucharest $2,734

Living in Fribourg is roughly 147% more expensive than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fribourg is 145% above, Bucharest is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.10 CHF 24.79

$14.49 RON 68.6

107.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 CHF 97.0

$58.1 RON 275

102.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.27 CHF 12.58

$7.48 RON 35.40

104.14%

Cappuccino

$6.14 CHF 5.06

$3.44 RON 16.29

78.49%

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

$4.89 CHF 4.03

$2.37 RON 11.22

106.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 CHF 4.22

$2.30 RON 10.88

122.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.18 CHF 5.91

$3.70 RON 17.51

94.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.45 CHF 5.31

$4.16 RON 19.69

55.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 CHF 1.76

$1.67 RON 7.90

28.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.15 CHF 2.59

$1.37 RON 6.50

129.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.51 CHF 2.89

$1.72 RON 8.14

104.07%

Eggs

$7.23 CHF 5.96

$3.64 RON 17.22

98.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.79 CHF 19.60

$9.08 RON 42.98

162.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.77 CHF 20.40

$6.84 RON 32.35

262.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$36.43 CHF 30.01

$12.00 RON 56.8

203.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 CHF 2.90

$1.23 RON 5.80

186.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 CHF 1.39

$1.63 RON 7.73

3.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 CHF 2.03

$1.57 RON 7.45

56.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.45 CHF 3.67

$2.54 RON 12.01

75.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 CHF 1.47

$0.79 RON 3.75

125.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.07 CHF 1.70

$0.77 RON 3.66

168.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 CHF 1.85

$0.87 RON 4.13

157.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 CHF 1.01

$0.99 RON 4.70

24.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.98 CHF 9.04

$6.31 RON 29.86

74.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 CHF 8.40

$6.20 RON 29.34

64.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 CHF 2.84

$1.19 RON 5.63

189.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 CHF 1.92

$1.57 RON 7.45

48.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.57 CHF 2.94

$0.86 RON 4.08

315.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$85.7 CHF 70.6

$21.10 RON 99.8

306.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.84 CHF 8.10

$0.64 RON 3.05

1437.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.02 CHF 3.31

$0.60 RON 2.86

570.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$72.4 CHF 59.7

$6.43 RON 30.43

1026.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 CHF 1.86

$1.96 RON 9.25

15.31%

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

$41.7K CHF 34.3K

$29.0K RON 137.2K

43.80%

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

$38.8K CHF 32.0K

$26.6K RON 126.0K

45.73%

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

$336 CHF 277

$196 RON 927

71.67%

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

$40.26 CHF 33.16

$8.04 RON 38.04

400.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.2 CHF 46.31

$9.35 RON 44.21

501.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.8 CHF 48.39

$50.2 RON 238

16.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.82 CHF 24.56

$25.33 RON 120

17.73%

Cinema Ticket

$21.24 CHF 17.50

$8.15 RON 38.55

160.61%

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

$1,762 CHF 1,451

$628 RON 2,971

180.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.9K CHF 29.5K

$14.1K RON 66.6K

154.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 CHF 83.0

$89.6 RON 424

12.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 CHF 46.97

$38.32 RON 181

48.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$159 CHF 131

$79.3 RON 375

100.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 CHF 156

$90.4 RON 428

108.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 CHF 1,293

$678 RON 3,209

131.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 CHF 1,181

$448 RON 2,121

219.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,450 CHF 2,018

$1,083 RON 5,125

126.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,176 CHF 1,792

$725 RON 3,430

200.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$20.6K CHF 16.9K

$3,751 RON 17.7K

448.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.7K CHF 11.3K

$2,195 RON 10.4K

525.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,808 CHF 5,607

$1,329 RON 6,290

412.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.31

6.75

-65.78%

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

Last update for Fribourg: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Fribourg

$1.4K 43.3%

Bucharest

$448 33.5% 68.7% $985

Groceries & Markets

Fribourg

$536 16.2%

Bucharest

$225 16.8% 58% $311

Eating Out

Fribourg

$449 13.6%

Bucharest

$225 16.8% 49.9% $224

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fribourg

$433 13.1%

Bucharest

$213 15.9% 50.7% $219

Clothing & Footwear

Fribourg

$228 6.9%

Bucharest

$134 10% 41.2% $94

Getting Around

Fribourg

$130 3.9%

Bucharest

$28 2.1% 78.3% $102

Sport & Entertainment

Fribourg

$101 3.1%

Bucharest

$67 5% 34.3% $35

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,570 in Fribourg and $678 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fribourg pays 412% 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: $118 in Fribourg vs $58.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $536 vs $225 per month, with Bucharest cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇭 Fribourg

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🕒 Local time

11:59 11:59 AM

12:59 12:59 PM

1 h ahead of Fribourg

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

37,485

1,883,425 Capital

💱 Currency

Swiss Franc CHF Fr

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 CHF = 1.21 USD

1 CHF = 1.08 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇭 Swiss Franc (Fr)

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

USD to CHF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Fribourg Bucharest 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Fribourg
Bucharest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Fribourg vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fribourg and Bucharest differ by about 147% in total monthly costs ($3,310 vs $1,340 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 412% higher in Fribourg, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,570 in Fribourg versus $678 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,310 per month in Fribourg versus $1,340 in Bucharest – a 147% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 306% less than in Fribourg. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,340 in Bucharest versus $3,310 in Fribourg, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Fribourg. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest 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, Fribourg 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 Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 147% less than in Fribourg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.