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: $1,092 in Galati versus $1,430 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,683 in Galati versus $2,131 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,274 in Galati versus $2,833 in Bucharest.

Living in Galati costs roughly 24% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Galati is 21% below, Bucharest is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.06 RON 50.2

$15.63 RON 70.9

-29.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.00 RON 200

$62.3 RON 282

-29.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 RON 35.27

$7.85 RON 35.60

-0.89%

Cappuccino

$2.54 RON 11.50

$3.63 RON 16.45

-30.03%

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

$2.13 RON 9.67

$2.48 RON 11.23

-14.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.97

$2.36 RON 10.69

-16.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 RON 9.82

$3.92 RON 17.78

-44.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 RON 15.21

$4.50 RON 20.40

-25.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 RON 5.84

$1.80 RON 8.16

-28.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 RON 3.19

$1.41 RON 6.39

-50.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.28

$1.78 RON 8.07

2.25%

Eggs

$3.56 RON 16.15

$3.88 RON 17.58

-8.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 RON 37.49

$9.61 RON 43.60

-13.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 RON 27.21

$7.16 RON 32.47

-16.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.99 RON 40.77

$12.25 RON 55.5

-26.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 RON 5.85

$1.31 RON 5.95

-1.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.40

$1.70 RON 7.69

-4.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.48

$1.63 RON 7.38

1.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 RON 8.69

$2.78 RON 12.59

-30.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.25

$0.86 RON 3.91

9.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 RON 5.04

$0.74 RON 3.37

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 3.94

$0.94 RON 4.27

-7.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 RON 3.44

$0.97 RON 4.42

-21.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.79 RON 26.25

$6.87 RON 31.16

-15.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.38 RON 24.39

$6.66 RON 30.19

-19.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 RON 4.59

$1.26 RON 5.70

-19.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.85

$1.73 RON 7.85

-25.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.57

$1.08 RON 4.88

-26.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.07 RON 114

$21.84 RON 99.1

14.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 RON 3.06

$0.64 RON 2.89

6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.14

$0.68 RON 3.09

1.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.21 RON 32.69

$6.46 RON 29.32

11.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.82 RON 8.24

$1.98 RON 9.00

-8.08%

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

$30.2K RON 136.8K

$29.4K RON 133.2K

2.74%

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

$26.1K RON 118.4K

$27.8K RON 126.2K

-6.22%

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

$157 RON 712

$204 RON 924

-22.97%

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

$8.11 RON 36.76

$8.53 RON 38.69

-4.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.37 RON 37.94

$9.87 RON 44.76

-15.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.80 RON 181

$54.7 RON 248

-27.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.10 RON 164

$25.58 RON 116

41.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.62 RON 30.02

$8.86 RON 40.19

-25.28%

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

$633 RON 2,871

$663 RON 3,007

-4.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,263 RON 23.9K

$15.3K RON 69.3K

-65.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 RON 456

$95.2 RON 432

5.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.66 RON 153

$40.99 RON 186

-17.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.4 RON 292

$82.7 RON 375

-22.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 RON 403

$101 RON 456

-11.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 RON 1,847

$710 RON 3,219

-42.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$336 RON 1,524

$490 RON 2,224

-31.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 RON 3,601

$1,130 RON 5,124

-29.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$588 RON 2,666

$759 RON 3,442

-22.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,632 RON 7,402

$3,914 RON 17.7K

-58.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,294 RON 5,866

$2,317 RON 10.5K

-44.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$943 RON 4,277

$1,486 RON 6,739

-36.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.83

5.42%

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

Last update for Galati: August 29, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Galati and $710 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 58% 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: $44.00 in Galati vs $62.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $236 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 31% in total monthly costs ($1,092 vs $1,430 including rent). Galati is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 58% 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: $407 in Galati versus $710 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,092 per month in Galati versus $1,430 in Bucharest – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Galati runs roughly 15% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,092 in Galati versus $1,430 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 31% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.