Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Krakow and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,773 in Krakow versus $1,362 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,539 in Krakow versus $2,133 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,305 in Krakow versus $2,903 in Bucharest.

Living in Krakow is roughly 30% more expensive than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Krakow 33% above, Bucharest 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.91 zł 41.43

$14.09 RON 64.6

-22.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 zł 204

$68.8 RON 316

-21.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 zł 36.25

$8.08 RON 37.04

18.19%

Cappuccino

$3.98 zł 15.11

$3.39 RON 15.55

17.40%

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

$2.21 zł 8.41

$2.24 RON 10.28

-1.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 zł 8.60

$2.42 RON 11.09

-6.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.16 zł 15.81

$3.38 RON 15.52

23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 zł 15.35

$3.83 RON 17.57

5.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 zł 4.40

$1.72 RON 7.88

-32.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 zł 5.51

$1.35 RON 6.19

7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 zł 5.54

$1.83 RON 8.41

-20.22%

Eggs

$3.61 zł 13.69

$3.65 RON 16.72

-1.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.98 zł 34.11

$9.23 RON 42.31

-2.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 zł 24.71

$6.85 RON 31.43

-4.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.52 zł 43.73

$12.03 RON 55.2

-4.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 zł 4.75

$1.34 RON 6.15

-6.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 zł 6.62

$1.72 RON 7.90

1.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 zł 6.84

$1.82 RON 8.34

-1.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.03 zł 11.51

$2.39 RON 10.97

26.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 zł 3.87

$1.04 RON 4.78

-1.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 zł 4.01

$1.02 RON 4.67

3.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 zł 4.95

$0.98 RON 4.49

32.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 zł 2.68

$0.95 RON 4.34

-25.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 zł 21.21

$6.40 RON 29.33

-12.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 zł 24.47

$6.50 RON 29.81

-0.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 zł 4.68

$1.24 RON 5.68

-0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 zł 6.45

$1.93 RON 8.86

-11.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 zł 4.23

$1.14 RON 5.21

-2.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.41 zł 150

$19.82 RON 90.9

98.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 zł 9.54

$0.71 RON 3.27

253.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 zł 3.74

$0.65 RON 2.99

52.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.03 zł 49.48

$6.93 RON 31.79

88.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 zł 6.43

$1.66 RON 7.59

1.81%

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

$33.1K zł 125.8K

$29.0K RON 132.8K

14.41%

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

$32.5K zł 123.3K

$30.1K RON 137.9K

7.96%

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

$278 zł 1,057

$183 RON 841

51.76%

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

$9.20 zł 34.93

$8.95 RON 41.05

2.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.58 zł 63.0

$11.12 RON 51.0

49.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.22 zł 145

$54.4 RON 249

-29.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.23 zł 84.4

$29.49 RON 135

-24.62%

Cinema Ticket

$8.05 zł 30.57

$9.13 RON 41.88

-11.83%

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

$437 zł 1,658

$676 RON 3,102

-35.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.9K zł 48.9K

$14.3K RON 65.7K

-10.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 zł 291

$81.1 RON 372

-5.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.54 zł 173

$44.42 RON 204

2.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 zł 384

$89.8 RON 412

12.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 zł 429

$108 RON 496

4.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 zł 3,433

$662 RON 3,036

36.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 zł 2,876

$441 RON 2,021

71.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 zł 6,079

$1,352 RON 6,202

18.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,154 zł 4,383

$849 RON 3,892

35.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,725 zł 21.7K

$3,777 RON 17.3K

51.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,721 zł 14.1K

$2,231 RON 10.2K

66.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,883 zł 7,153

$1,408 RON 6,457

33.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.77

7.1

9.44%

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

Last update for Krakow: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $904 in Krakow and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krakow pays 34% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Krakow vs $69.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $230 per month, with Krakow 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

Krakow vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Krakow and Bucharest differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,773 vs $1,362 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 34% higher in Krakow, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $904 in Krakow versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,773 per month in Krakow versus $1,362 in Bucharest – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 99% less than in Krakow. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,362 in Bucharest versus $1,773 in Krakow, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Krakow. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest 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, Krakow 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 Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Krakow. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.