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: $1,126 in Giurgiu versus $1,362 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,744 in Giurgiu versus $2,133 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,363 in Giurgiu versus $2,903 in Bucharest.

Living in Giurgiu costs roughly 17% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Giurgiu is 16% below, Bucharest is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.40 RON 56.6

$14.09 RON 64.3

-11.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 RON 232

$68.8 RON 314

-26.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 RON 36.39

$8.08 RON 36.87

-1.36%

Cappuccino

$3.44 RON 15.72

$3.39 RON 15.48

1.47%

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

$1.98 RON 9.04

$2.24 RON 10.24

-11.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 RON 9.63

$2.42 RON 11.04

-12.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 RON 15.08

$3.38 RON 15.44

-2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 RON 15.90

$3.83 RON 17.49

-9.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 7.08

$1.72 RON 7.84

-9.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.97

$1.35 RON 6.16

-2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 RON 8.43

$1.83 RON 8.37

1.09%

Eggs

$3.36 RON 15.35

$3.65 RON 16.65

-7.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 RON 39.47

$9.23 RON 42.12

-6.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.54

$6.85 RON 31.29

4.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.01 RON 54.8

$12.03 RON 54.9

-0.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.17

$1.34 RON 6.12

-15.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.85

$1.72 RON 7.86

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.10

$1.82 RON 8.30

-14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.92

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.26

$1.04 RON 4.76

-10.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.69

$1.02 RON 4.65

0.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 RON 4.26

$0.98 RON 4.47

-5.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.53

$0.95 RON 4.32

-18.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.93 RON 27.09

$6.40 RON 29.19

-7.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.82 RON 35.69

$6.50 RON 29.67

20.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.96

$1.24 RON 5.66

-12.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.54

$1.93 RON 8.82

-14.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 RON 3.09

$1.14 RON 5.19

-40.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.65 RON 89.7

$19.82 RON 90.5

-0.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.22

$0.71 RON 3.26

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 RON 3.41

$0.65 RON 2.98

15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 RON 32.05

$6.93 RON 31.64

1.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.28

$1.66 RON 7.56

-3.61%

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

$27.8K RON 126.8K

$29.0K RON 132.2K

-4.09%

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

$28.0K RON 128.0K

$30.1K RON 137.3K

-6.77%

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

$166 RON 759

$183 RON 837

-9.36%

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

$7.89 RON 36.04

$8.95 RON 40.86

-11.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.88 RON 40.51

$11.12 RON 50.8

-20.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.64 RON 190

$54.4 RON 248

-23.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.08 RON 87.1

$29.49 RON 135

-35.30%

Cinema Ticket

$11.10 RON 50.7

$9.13 RON 41.68

21.58%

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

$449 RON 2,052

$676 RON 3,088

-33.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,444 RON 29.4K

$14.3K RON 65.4K

-55.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.4 RON 308

$81.1 RON 370

-16.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.62 RON 199

$44.42 RON 203

-1.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.5 RON 445

$89.8 RON 410

8.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 RON 444

$108 RON 494

-10.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 RON 1,807

$662 RON 3,022

-40.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 RON 1,303

$441 RON 2,011

-35.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 RON 2,697

$1,352 RON 6,173

-56.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 RON 1,965

$849 RON 3,874

-49.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,824 RON 8,324

$3,777 RON 17.2K

-51.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,447 RON 6,607

$2,231 RON 10.2K

-35.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,427

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $396 in Giurgiu and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $51.0 in Giurgiu vs $69.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $230 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 21% in total monthly costs ($1,126 vs $1,362 including rent). Giurgiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,689 in Giurgiu and $2,044 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: $396 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 $1,126 per month in Giurgiu versus $1,362 in Bucharest – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Giurgiu runs roughly 1% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,126 in Giurgiu versus $1,362 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 21% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.