Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Romania Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Romania

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $363 in India versus $1,038 in Romania.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $575 in India versus $1,597 in Romania.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $786 in India versus $2,155 in Romania.

Living in India costs about 65% less than in Romania on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: India 73% lower, Romania 24% lower.

India ($230$823) and Romania ($760$1,501) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
India
Romania
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.11 ₹202
$10.79 RON 49.47
-80.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.62 ₹1,019
$44.42 RON 204
-76.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.62 ₹348
$7.70 RON 35.31
-52.99%
Cappuccino
$1.65 ₹159
$2.93 RON 13.44
-43.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 ₹36.28
$2.07 RON 9.50
-81.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.14 ₹13.46
$1.74 RON 7.99
-91.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.86 ₹179
$2.40 RON 11.00
-22.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 ₹309
$3.25 RON 14.90
-0.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
India
Romania
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.68 ₹65.0
$1.60 RON 7.32
-57.50%
White Bread (500g)
$0.49 ₹47.28
$1.27 RON 5.81
-61.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.66 ₹63.3
$1.65 RON 7.56
-60.00%
Eggs
$0.87 ₹83.6
$3.45 RON 15.80
-74.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.76 ₹456
$8.75 RON 40.13
-45.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.79 ₹267
$6.62 RON 30.34
-57.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$10.88 RON 49.87
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.96 ₹188
$1.22 RON 5.60
60.66%
Banana (1kg)
$0.68 ₹65.3
$1.57 RON 7.20
-56.69%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.95 ₹90.8
$1.62 RON 7.41
-41.36%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.50 ₹48.31
$2.23 RON 10.24
-77.58%
Potato (1kg)
$0.34 ₹32.37
$0.82 RON 3.77
-58.54%
Onion (1kg)
$0.38 ₹36.89
$0.91 RON 4.16
-58.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.45 ₹42.90
$0.90 RON 4.11
-50.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 ₹29.82
$0.84 RON 3.83
-63.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.10 ₹489
$6.33 RON 29.01
-19.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.13 ₹684
$6.55 RON 30.02
8.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 ₹163
$1.17 RON 5.38
45.30%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.67 ₹256
$1.71 RON 7.82
56.14%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.12 ₹491
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
India
Romania
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 ₹26.10
$0.75 RON 3.42
-64.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.56 ₹821
$24.46 RON 112
-65.00%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.90 ₹86.7
$0.86 RON 3.94
4.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.25 ₹23.70
$0.80 RON 3.68
-68.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.62 ₹155
$7.46 RON 34.18
-78.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 ₹102
$1.84 RON 8.42
-41.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.5K ₹1.2M
$29.2K RON 134.0K
-57.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.6K ₹1.9M
$26.1K RON 119.9K
-25.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Romania
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$37.89 ₹3,635
$166 RON 761
-77.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.61 ₹346
$8.19 RON 37.53
-55.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$6.92 ₹664
$9.35 RON 42.87
-25.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
India
Romania
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$14.49 ₹1,390
$42.38 RON 194
-65.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.15 ₹686
$19.09 RON 87.5
-62.55%
Cinema Ticket
$3.15 ₹302
$7.63 RON 34.98
-58.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
India
Romania
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$57.2 ₹5,485
$502 RON 2,302
-88.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,669 ₹160.1K
$8,806 RON 40.4K
-81.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
India
Romania
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$22.52 ₹2,161
$72.5 RON 332
-68.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.70 ₹2,369
$39.91 RON 183
-38.11%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$40.36 ₹3,872
$84.8 RON 389
-52.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$30.64 ₹2,939
$88.1 RON 404
-65.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
India
Romania
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$146 ₹14.0K
$498 RON 2,285
-70.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$89.2 ₹8,557
$365 RON 1,674
-75.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$334 ₹32.0K
$814 RON 3,731
-59.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$214 ₹20.5K
$604 RON 2,767
-64.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,206 ₹115.7K
$2,597 RON 11.9K
-53.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$613 ₹58.8K
$1,887 RON 8,651
-67.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
India
Romania
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$435 ₹41.7K
$1,025 RON 4,701
-57.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.93
6.99
27.75%

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

Last update for India: September 13, 2026

Last update for Romania: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $119 in India, $391 in Romania. Capital cities: $270 in Delhi vs $716 in Bucharest.

National salary averages: $405 in India, $896 in Romania. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 229% higher in Romania.

Dining out costs 340% more in Romania.

Public transport is 214% more expensive in Romania.

Salaries are 121% higher in Romania, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

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
India vs Romania: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Romania?
At $527 per month in India and $1,131 in Romania, there's a 115% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in India: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Romania is consistently higher than in India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Romania?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Romania it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or to Romania?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Romania may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

India vs other spots: cost of living compared