Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between India and Romania

For one person, living is cheaper in India: $399 a month against $1,133 in Romania, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

India
Romania
🇮🇳 India
$399
/mo nomad
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,133
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in India and in Romania

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $399 in India versus $1,133 in Romania.

  • India $399
  • Romania $1,133

Estimated couple costs with rent: $639 in India versus $1,691 in Romania.

  • India $639
  • Romania $1,691

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $879 in India versus $2,250 in Romania.

  • India $879
  • Romania $2,250

India ($230–$813) and Romania ($742–$1,423) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

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

Both countries sit below the global median: India 71% lower, Romania 17% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
India
Romania
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.14 ₹203
$10.41 RON 49.80
-79.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.46 ₹993
$41.28 RON 198
-74.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.80 ₹361
$7.27 RON 34.77
-47.73%
Cappuccino
$1.68 ₹159
$2.72 RON 13.01
-38.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 ₹35.93
$2.02 RON 9.65
-81.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.15 ₹14.58
$1.67 RON 7.98
-91.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.87 ₹177
$2.25 RON 10.76
-16.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18 ₹302
$3.21 RON 15.35
-0.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
India
Romania
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.62 ₹59.1
$1.53 RON 7.30
-59.48%
White Bread (500g)
$0.50 ₹47.68
$1.15 RON 5.50
-56.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.63 ₹60.2
$1.59 RON 7.59
-60.38%
Eggs
$0.96 ₹91.1
$3.23 RON 15.47
-70.28%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.85 ₹460
$8.03 RON 38.43
-39.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.84 ₹270
$6.39 RON 30.56
-55.56%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$10.22 RON 48.91
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.00 ₹190
$1.21 RON 5.81
65.29%
Banana (1kg)
$0.65 ₹61.3
$1.54 RON 7.35
-57.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.97 ₹92.1
$1.54 RON 7.39
-37.01%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.47 ₹44.22
$2.10 RON 10.06
-77.62%
Potato (1kg)
$0.34 ₹31.82
$0.78 RON 3.75
-56.41%
Onion (1kg)
$0.42 ₹39.66
$0.86 RON 4.13
-51.16%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.47 ₹44.32
$0.84 RON 4.03
-44.05%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.31 ₹29.62
$0.84 RON 4.02
-63.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.08 ₹482
$6.05 RON 28.94
-16.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.31 ₹694
$6.11 RON 29.25
19.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.63 ₹154
$1.10 RON 5.24
48.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 ₹262
$1.57 RON 7.51
75.80%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$5.11 ₹485
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
India
Romania
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 ₹24.81
$0.72 RON 3.43
-63.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.58 ₹815
$23.15 RON 111
-62.94%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.00 ₹94.5
$0.80 RON 3.82
25.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.27 ₹25.69
$0.72 RON 3.47
-62.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.54 ₹146
$7.00 RON 33.50
-78.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 ₹102
$1.78 RON 8.53
-39.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$11.2K ₹1.1M
$28.7K RON 137.5K
-60.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.1K ₹1.9M
$25.3K RON 121.3K
-20.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Romania
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$37.08 ₹3,521
$160 RON 763
-76.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.58 ₹340
$7.98 RON 38.17
-55.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$7.15 ₹679
$8.83 RON 42.27
-19.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
India
Romania
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.00 ₹1,424
$40.42 RON 193
-62.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.17 ₹681
$18.47 RON 88.4
-61.18%
Cinema Ticket
$3.20 ₹303
$7.35 RON 35.17
-56.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
India
Romania
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$58.8 ₹5,583
$473 RON 2,265
-87.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,667 ₹158.2K
$8,477 RON 40.6K
-80.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
India
Romania
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.03 ₹2,187
$69.5 RON 333
-66.88%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.17 ₹2,295
$37.71 RON 180
-35.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$41.20 ₹3,911
$79.6 RON 381
-48.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.62 ₹2,812
$84.3 RON 403
-64.87%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
India
Romania
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$146 ₹13.9K
$503 RON 2,408
-70.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$96.4 ₹9,149
$375 RON 1,796
-74.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$343 ₹32.6K
$776 RON 3,712
-55.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$234 ₹22.2K
$579 RON 2,768
-59.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,177 ₹111.7K
$2,539 RON 12.1K
-53.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$633 ₹60.1K
$1,819 RON 8,701
-65.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
India
Romania
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$409 ₹38.8K
$1,001 RON 4,787
-59.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.93
6.98
27.94%

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

Last update for India: October 25, 2026

Last update for Romania: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
India
$102
Romania
$203 98.7% $101
Accommodation & Living
India
$96
Romania
$375 290% $279
Eating Out
India
$67
Romania
$170 156% $104
Clothing & Footwear
India
$53
Romania
$122 130% $69
Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
$48
Romania
$176 269% $129
Sport & Entertainment
India
$21
Romania
$55 158% $34
Getting Around
India
$12
Romania
$30 154% $18

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $120 in India, $387 in Romania. Capital cities: $277 in Delhi vs $711 in Bucharest.

National salary averages: $412 in India, $857 in Romania. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 223% higher in Romania.

Dining out costs 273% more in Romania.

Public transport is 175% more expensive in Romania.

Salaries are about 2.1 times higher in Romania, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

Good to know
🇮🇳 India
🇷🇴 Romania
🕒 Local time
10:46 10:46 AM
07:16 7:16 AM
3 h 30 min behind India
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,326,093,247
19,053,815
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to INR – Indian Rupee Converter

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 94.94 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 4.78 RON (1 RON = 0.209 USD). 1 EUR = 5.34 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • India Romania 4,800 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • India
  • Romania

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
India vs Romania: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Romania?
At $399 per month in India and $1,133 in Romania, India comes out about 65% cheaper. 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 cheaper in India: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. 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 for a central one-bedroom averages $387 in Romania and $120 in India. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
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, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.

India vs other spots: cost of living compared

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