Cost of Living Comparison Between Onesti and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Onesti and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,104 in Onesti versus $1,430 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,678 in Onesti versus $2,131 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,251 in Onesti versus $2,833 in Bucharest.

Living in Onesti costs roughly 23% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Onesti is 20% below, Bucharest is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.00 RON 49.68

$15.63 RON 70.6

-29.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.28 RON 204

$62.3 RON 281

-27.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 RON 35.78

$7.85 RON 35.44

0.89%

Cappuccino

$2.99 RON 13.48

$3.63 RON 16.37

-17.63%

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

$2.23 RON 10.07

$2.48 RON 11.18

-10.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.06

$2.36 RON 10.64

-24.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 RON 14.90

$3.92 RON 17.70

-15.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 RON 18.39

$4.50 RON 20.31

-9.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 RON 4.95

$1.80 RON 8.12

-38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 RON 6.25

$1.41 RON 6.36

-2.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.15 RON 9.71

$1.78 RON 8.03

20.79%

Eggs

$3.24 RON 14.63

$3.88 RON 17.50

-16.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 RON 35.84

$9.61 RON 43.40

-17.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 RON 29.83

$7.16 RON 32.32

-7.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 RON 46.64

$12.25 RON 55.3

-15.67%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 RON 4.87

$1.31 RON 5.93

-17.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.80

$1.70 RON 7.66

-11.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.49

$1.63 RON 7.35

1.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 RON 9.88

$2.78 RON 12.54

-21.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 RON 4.09

$0.86 RON 3.89

5.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.26

$0.74 RON 3.36

27.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 RON 5.55

$0.94 RON 4.25

30.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 RON 2.94

$0.97 RON 4.40

-32.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.80 RON 30.72

$6.87 RON 31.01

-1.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.53 RON 24.98

$6.66 RON 30.05

-16.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 RON 6.16

$1.26 RON 5.67

7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 RON 10.18

$1.73 RON 7.81

30.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 RON 3.45

$1.08 RON 4.86

-29.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.44 RON 101

$21.84 RON 98.6

2.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.19

$0.64 RON 2.88

45.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 RON 4.19

$0.68 RON 3.08

36.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.74 RON 39.48

$6.46 RON 29.18

35.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 6.81

$1.98 RON 8.96

-23.74%

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

$29.2K RON 132.0K

$29.4K RON 132.6K

-0.40%

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

$28.7K RON 129.4K

$27.8K RON 125.7K

2.94%

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

$187 RON 845

$204 RON 920

-8.11%

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

$7.58 RON 34.24

$8.53 RON 38.52

-11.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.61 RON 38.87

$9.87 RON 44.56

-12.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.27 RON 182

$54.7 RON 247

-26.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.03 RON 95.0

$25.58 RON 115

-17.79%

Cinema Ticket

$8.83 RON 39.86

$8.86 RON 40.00

-0.34%

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

$425 RON 1,919

$663 RON 2,994

-35.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,385 RON 33.3K

$15.3K RON 69.0K

-51.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.07 RON 181

$95.2 RON 430

-57.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.84 RON 184

$40.99 RON 185

-0.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.1 RON 434

$82.7 RON 373

16.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 RON 423

$101 RON 454

-6.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$400 RON 1,807

$710 RON 3,204

-43.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 RON 1,371

$490 RON 2,214

-38.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$634 RON 2,864

$1,130 RON 5,101

-43.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 RON 2,124

$759 RON 3,426

-38.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,936 RON 8,742

$3,914 RON 17.7K

-50.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,405 RON 6,342

$2,317 RON 10.5K

-39.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$666 RON 3,006

$1,486 RON 6,708

-55.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.29

6.83

6.73%

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

Last update for Onesti: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $400 in Onesti and $710 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 123% 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: $45.00 in Onesti vs $62.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $236 per month, with Onesti 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

Onesti vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Onesti and Bucharest differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,104 vs $1,430 including rent). Onesti is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 123% lower in Bucharest. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $400 in Onesti versus $710 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,104 per month in Onesti versus $1,430 in Bucharest – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Onesti runs roughly 3% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,104 in Onesti versus $1,430 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Onesti but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Onesti 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, Onesti 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 Onesti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.