Cost of Living Comparison Between Giurgiu and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Giurgiu and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,118 in Giurgiu versus $1,336 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,722 in Giurgiu versus $2,162 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,325 in Giurgiu versus $2,988 in Bucharest.

Living in Giurgiu costs roughly 16% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Giurgiu is 17% below, Bucharest is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.28 RON 55.5

$13.58 RON 61.4

-9.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 RON 233

$68.1 RON 308

-24.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.04 RON 36.33

$8.05 RON 36.38

-0.12%

Cappuccino

$3.45 RON 15.60

$3.40 RON 15.36

1.47%

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

$2.01 RON 9.08

$2.32 RON 10.50

-13.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 RON 9.34

$2.38 RON 10.74

-13.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.27 RON 14.80

$3.54 RON 15.99

-7.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 RON 16.06

$4.01 RON 18.14

-11.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 RON 6.68

$1.74 RON 7.88

-14.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 RON 5.83

$1.42 RON 6.42

-9.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.23

$1.93 RON 8.73

-5.70%

Eggs

$3.23 RON 14.62

$3.54 RON 15.99

-8.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 RON 39.06

$9.27 RON 41.90

-6.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 RON 30.73

$7.13 RON 32.21

-4.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.91 RON 53.8

$12.28 RON 55.5

-3.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.38

$1.35 RON 6.11

-11.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.70

$1.74 RON 7.86

-2.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.05

$1.76 RON 7.98

-11.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.82

$2.40 RON 10.83

-0.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.31

$1.05 RON 4.72

-9.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 RON 4.84

$0.96 RON 4.35

11.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 3.95

$0.92 RON 4.15

-5.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 RON 3.79

$0.91 RON 4.09

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.73 RON 25.90

$6.38 RON 28.82

-10.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.72 RON 39.42

$6.45 RON 29.16

35.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 RON 4.97

$1.22 RON 5.51

-9.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 RON 7.75

$1.98 RON 8.95

-13.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$1.16 RON 5.27

-42.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.01 RON 90.5

$19.48 RON 88.0

2.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 RON 3.45

$0.72 RON 3.25

5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.11

$0.62 RON 2.79

11.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 RON 31.09

$6.94 RON 31.35

-0.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.19

$1.71 RON 7.75

-7.02%

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

$27.5K RON 124.3K

$29.0K RON 131.0K

-5.10%

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

$28.0K RON 126.7K

$30.3K RON 137.0K

-7.51%

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

$164 RON 740

$178 RON 803

-7.93%

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

$7.88 RON 35.62

$9.16 RON 41.40

-13.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.82 RON 39.85

$11.12 RON 50.3

-20.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.38 RON 187

$54.7 RON 247

-24.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.84 RON 85.2

$29.04 RON 131

-35.12%

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 RON 50.2

$9.27 RON 41.92

19.74%

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

$457 RON 2,064

$677 RON 3,060

-32.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,443 RON 29.1K

$14.9K RON 67.2K

-56.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 RON 308

$79.8 RON 361

-14.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.17 RON 191

$45.29 RON 205

-6.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 RON 437

$89.2 RON 403

8.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.6 RON 441

$109 RON 493

-10.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 RON 1,748

$662 RON 2,992

-41.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 RON 1,316

$432 RON 1,953

-32.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 RON 2,692

$1,355 RON 6,126

-56.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 RON 1,960

$841 RON 3,802

-48.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,835 RON 8,293

$3,857 RON 17.4K

-52.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 RON 6,203

$2,305 RON 10.4K

-40.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,615

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

7.1

8.45%

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

Last update for Giurgiu: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Giurgiu and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Giurgiu vs $68.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $233 per month, with Giurgiu 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

Giurgiu vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Giurgiu and Bucharest differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,118 vs $1,336 including rent). Giurgiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,678 in Giurgiu and $2,004 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: $387 in Giurgiu versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,118 per month in Giurgiu versus $1,336 in Bucharest – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Giurgiu runs roughly 3% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,118 in Giurgiu versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Giurgiu but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Giurgiu 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, Giurgiu 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 Giurgiu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.