Cost of Living Comparison Between Galati and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Galati and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,131 in Galati versus $1,336 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,708 in Galati versus $2,162 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,285 in Galati versus $2,988 in Bucharest.

Living in Galati costs roughly 15% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Galati is 16% below, Bucharest is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.64 RON 52.6

$13.58 RON 61.4

-14.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.31 RON 205

$68.1 RON 308

-33.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.10 RON 36.60

$8.05 RON 36.38

0.62%

Cappuccino

$2.62 RON 11.84

$3.40 RON 15.36

-22.94%

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

$2.19 RON 9.90

$2.32 RON 10.50

-5.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 RON 8.54

$2.38 RON 10.74

-20.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 RON 10.23

$3.54 RON 15.99

-36.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 RON 14.91

$4.01 RON 18.14

-17.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RON 6.04

$1.74 RON 7.88

-22.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 RON 3.69

$1.42 RON 6.42

-42.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 RON 8.76

$1.93 RON 8.73

0.52%

Eggs

$3.62 RON 16.35

$3.54 RON 15.99

2.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 RON 38.87

$9.27 RON 41.90

-7.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 RON 29.11

$7.13 RON 32.21

-9.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 RON 41.37

$12.28 RON 55.5

-25.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 RON 5.68

$1.35 RON 6.11

-6.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 RON 7.57

$1.74 RON 7.86

-3.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.50

$1.76 RON 7.98

-5.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 RON 8.35

$2.40 RON 10.83

-22.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.59

$1.05 RON 4.72

-2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 RON 5.16

$0.96 RON 4.35

18.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 RON 4.23

$0.92 RON 4.15

2.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.52

$0.91 RON 4.09

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 RON 26.35

$6.38 RON 28.82

-8.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.45 RON 24.65

$6.45 RON 29.16

-15.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.23

$1.22 RON 5.51

-22.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 RON 5.89

$1.98 RON 8.95

-34.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 RON 2.73

$1.16 RON 5.27

-48.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.10 RON 123

$19.48 RON 88.0

39.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 RON 3.12

$0.72 RON 3.25

-4.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.80

$0.62 RON 2.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 RON 33.68

$6.94 RON 31.35

7.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.94

$1.71 RON 7.75

-10.53%

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

$28.5K RON 128.9K

$29.0K RON 131.0K

-1.63%

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

$26.5K RON 119.8K

$30.3K RON 137.0K

-12.49%

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

$165 RON 747

$178 RON 803

-7.04%

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

$8.46 RON 38.25

$9.16 RON 41.40

-7.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.49 RON 38.36

$11.12 RON 50.3

-23.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.83 RON 153

$54.7 RON 247

-38.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.08 RON 177

$29.04 RON 131

34.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 RON 30.37

$9.27 RON 41.92

-27.51%

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

$647 RON 2,923

$677 RON 3,060

-4.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,374 RON 24.3K

$14.9K RON 67.2K

-63.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$103 RON 465

$79.8 RON 361

28.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.15 RON 159

$45.29 RON 205

-22.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.9 RON 284

$89.2 RON 403

-29.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.7 RON 433

$109 RON 493

-12.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 RON 1,928

$662 RON 2,992

-35.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 RON 1,539

$432 RON 1,953

-21.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 RON 2,796

$1,355 RON 6,126

-54.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 RON 2,449

$841 RON 3,802

-35.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,678 RON 7,584

$3,857 RON 17.4K

-56.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,278 RON 5,779

$2,305 RON 10.4K

-44.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$958 RON 4,330

$1,463 RON 6,615

-34.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

7.1

-8.45%

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

Last update for Galati: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $426 in Galati and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 53% 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: $45.00 in Galati vs $68.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $233 per month, with Galati 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

Galati vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Galati and Bucharest differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,131 vs $1,336 including rent). Galati is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bucharest earns 53% 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: $426 in Galati versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,131 per month in Galati versus $1,336 in Bucharest – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Galati runs roughly 39% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,131 in Galati versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Galati but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Galati 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, Galati 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 Galati gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.