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: $1,103 in Galati versus $1,362 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,715 in Galati versus $2,133 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,327 in Galati versus $2,903 in Bucharest.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Galati is 17% below, Bucharest is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.57 RON 52.8

$14.09 RON 64.3

-17.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.52 RON 212

$68.8 RON 314

-32.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 36.89

$8.08 RON 36.87

Cappuccino

$2.73 RON 12.47

$3.39 RON 15.48

-19.47%

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

$2.18 RON 9.95

$2.24 RON 10.24

-2.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.76

$2.42 RON 11.04

-20.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 RON 10.24

$3.38 RON 15.44

-33.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 RON 15.33

$3.83 RON 17.49

-12.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RON 6.13

$1.72 RON 7.84

-22.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 RON 3.80

$1.35 RON 6.16

-38.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 RON 8.43

$1.83 RON 8.37

1.09%

Eggs

$3.70 RON 16.89

$3.65 RON 16.65

1.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 RON 37.46

$9.23 RON 42.12

-11.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.14 RON 28.01

$6.85 RON 31.29

-10.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.33 RON 42.59

$12.03 RON 54.9

-22.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RON 5.67

$1.34 RON 6.12

-7.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.81

$1.72 RON 7.86

-0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.61

$1.82 RON 8.30

-8.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 RON 8.46

$2.39 RON 10.92

-22.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.70

$1.04 RON 4.76

-0.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 RON 5.30

$1.02 RON 4.65

13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 RON 4.28

$0.98 RON 4.47

-4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.58

$0.95 RON 4.32

-17.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.79 RON 26.45

$6.40 RON 29.19

-9.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.57 RON 25.41

$6.50 RON 29.67

-14.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 RON 4.26

$1.24 RON 5.66

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 RON 5.94

$1.93 RON 8.82

-32.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 RON 2.57

$1.14 RON 5.19

-50.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.24 RON 120

$19.82 RON 90.5

32.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 RON 3.37

$0.71 RON 3.26

4.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 2.97

$0.65 RON 2.98

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.58 RON 34.62

$6.93 RON 31.64

9.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.24

$1.66 RON 7.56

-4.22%

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

$28.4K RON 129.5K

$29.0K RON 132.2K

-2.01%

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

$26.7K RON 121.8K

$30.1K RON 137.3K

-11.27%

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

$165 RON 751

$183 RON 837

-10.26%

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

$8.58 RON 39.15

$8.95 RON 40.86

-4.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.49 RON 38.75

$11.12 RON 50.8

-23.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.19 RON 156

$54.4 RON 248

-37.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$38.82 RON 177

$29.49 RON 135

31.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.80 RON 31.04

$9.13 RON 41.68

-25.52%

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

$664 RON 3,030

$676 RON 3,088

-1.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,339 RON 24.4K

$14.3K RON 65.4K

-62.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 RON 466

$81.1 RON 370

26.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 RON 158

$44.42 RON 203

-22.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.7 RON 286

$89.8 RON 410

-30.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 RON 451

$108 RON 494

-8.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 RON 1,957

$662 RON 3,022

-35.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 RON 1,588

$441 RON 2,011

-21.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 RON 2,925

$1,352 RON 6,173

-52.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$530 RON 2,418

$849 RON 3,874

-37.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,634 RON 7,459

$3,777 RON 17.2K

-56.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,265 RON 5,775

$2,231 RON 10.2K

-43.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,003 RON 4,577

$1,408 RON 6,427

-28.78%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $429 in Galati and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 40% 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: $47.00 in Galati vs $69.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $230 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 23% in total monthly costs ($1,103 vs $1,362 including rent). Galati is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 40% 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: $429 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 $1,103 per month in Galati versus $1,362 in Bucharest – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Galati runs roughly 32% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,103 in Galati versus $1,362 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 23% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.