Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Greenwich and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Bucharest: $1,337 a month against $2,237 in Greenwich, rent and utilities included – about $10,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Greenwich
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
$2,237
/mo nomad
Bucharest
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,337
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Greenwich and in Bucharest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Greenwich and in Bucharest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,237 in Greenwich versus $1,337 in Bucharest.

  • Greenwich $2,237
  • Bucharest $1,337

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,322 in Greenwich versus $2,029 in Bucharest.

  • Greenwich $3,322
  • Bucharest $2,029

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,408 in Greenwich versus $2,721 in Bucharest.

  • Greenwich $4,408
  • Bucharest $2,721

Living in Greenwich is roughly 67% more expensive than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Greenwich is 65% above, Bucharest is 1% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Greenwich
Bucharest
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.39 £18.30
$14.45 RON 68.4
68.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$81.4 £61.1
$58.1 RON 275
40.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.29 £9.97
$7.53 RON 35.65
76.49%
Cappuccino
$3.95 £2.96
$3.45 RON 16.33
14.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 £1.93
$2.46 RON 11.65
4.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 £1.54
$2.23 RON 10.54
-7.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.35 £4.76
$3.76 RON 17.78
68.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.03 £4.52
$4.19 RON 19.84
43.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Greenwich
Bucharest
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 £1.25
$1.62 RON 7.67
2.47%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 £1.29
$1.30 RON 6.13
32.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.06 £1.54
$1.70 RON 8.05
21.18%
Eggs
$3.68 £2.76
$3.79 RON 17.93
-2.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.94 £6.71
$8.86 RON 41.90
0.90%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.48 £5.61
$6.90 RON 32.67
8.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.05 £15.04
$12.14 RON 57.4
65.16%
Apples (1kg)
$2.70 £2.03
$1.30 RON 6.17
107.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.30 £0.97
$1.60 RON 7.55
-18.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.88 £1.41
$1.57 RON 7.42
19.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.35 £1.01
$2.68 RON 12.67
-49.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.37 £1.02
$0.81 RON 3.82
69.14%
Onion (1kg)
$1.31 £0.98
$0.79 RON 3.73
65.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.56 £1.17
$0.91 RON 4.30
71.43%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.42 £1.06
$0.97 RON 4.58
46.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$23.34 £17.51
$6.41 RON 30.34
264.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.28 £8.46
$6.18 RON 29.24
82.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.92 £1.44
$1.23 RON 5.83
56.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94 £2.21
$1.67 RON 7.91
76.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Greenwich
Bucharest
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.03 £3.02
$0.87 RON 4.10
363.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$90.6 £68.0
$20.98 RON 99.3
331.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.20 £3.90
$0.66 RON 3.10
687.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 £1.53
$0.60 RON 2.85
241.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.37 £22.03
$6.19 RON 29.28
374.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.03 £1.52
$1.93 RON 9.15
5.18%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$39.2K £29.4K
$28.7K RON 135.9K
36.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.7K £30.5K
$26.3K RON 124.6K
54.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Greenwich
Bucharest
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$300 £225
$196 RON 926
53.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.50 £11.63
$8.49 RON 40.19
82.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$46.60 £34.96
$9.05 RON 42.84
414.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Greenwich
Bucharest
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$46.79 £35.10
$49.54 RON 234
-5.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$25.03 RON 118
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.92 £13.45
$8.24 RON 39.01
117.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Greenwich
Bucharest
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,309 £982
$636 RON 3,007
106.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$24.6K £18.4K
$14.6K RON 69.0K
68.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Greenwich
Bucharest
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.7 £49.28
$88.5 RON 419
-25.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.31 £35.49
$38.77 RON 183
22.03%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.1 £55.6
$78.8 RON 373
-5.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.5 £60.4
$90.6 RON 428
-11.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Greenwich
Bucharest
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,206 £905
$695 RON 3,288
73.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$920 £690
$446 RON 2,109
106.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,306 £1,730
$1,084 RON 5,130
112.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,576 £1,182
$712 RON 3,368
121.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,586 £4,190
$3,797 RON 18.0K
47.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,853 £2,891
$2,202 RON 10.4K
74.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Greenwich
Bucharest
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,354 RON 6,406
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.54
6.75
-17.93%

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

Last update for Greenwich: October 19, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Greenwich
$920
Bucharest
$446 51.6% $475
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Greenwich
$362
Bucharest
$213 41.1% $149
Eating Out
Greenwich
$345
Bucharest
$226 34.6% $119
Groceries & Markets
Greenwich
$285
Bucharest
$225 20.8% $59
Getting Around
Greenwich
$122
Bucharest
$28 77% $94
Clothing & Footwear
Greenwich
$120
Bucharest
$133 10.8% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Greenwich
$83
Bucharest
$66 20.1% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,206 in Greenwich and $695 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $81.0 in Greenwich vs $58.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $225 per month, with Bucharest cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇬🇧 Greenwich
🇷🇴 Bucharest
🕒 Local time
23:36 11:36 PM
01:36 1:36 AM
2 h ahead of Greenwich
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
285,000
1,883,425 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to GBP – British Pound Converter

British Pound exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 0.75 GBP (1 GBP = 1.33 USD). 1 EUR = 0.843 GBP (1 GBP = 1.19 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Greenwich Bucharest 2,080 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Greenwich
  • Bucharest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Greenwich vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Greenwich and in Bucharest?
Greenwich and Bucharest differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($2,237 vs $1,337 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Greenwich compared to Bucharest?
You'd need roughly $3,355 in Greenwich and $2,006 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Greenwich and in Bucharest?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,206 in Greenwich versus $695 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Greenwich or Bucharest?
All in, you'll spend $2,237 per month in Greenwich versus $1,337 in Bucharest – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Greenwich and in Bucharest?
A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 332% less than in Greenwich. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,337 in Bucharest versus $2,237 in Greenwich, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Greenwich. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Greenwich and Bucharest?
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.
Is Greenwich or Bucharest safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Greenwich 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.
Where should expats move: Greenwich or Bucharest?
Expats usually find Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Greenwich. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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