Cost of Living Comparison Between Ploiesti and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Ploiesti and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,116 in Ploiesti versus $1,362 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,620 in Ploiesti versus $2,133 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,124 in Ploiesti versus $2,903 in Bucharest.

Living in Ploiesti costs roughly 18% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ploiesti is 16% below, Bucharest is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.73 RON 44.39

$14.09 RON 64.3

-30.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.83 RON 191

$68.8 RON 314

-39.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 RON 35.29

$8.08 RON 36.87

-4.33%

Cappuccino

$2.61 RON 11.93

$3.39 RON 15.48

-23.01%

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

$1.91 RON 8.72

$2.24 RON 10.24

-14.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.48

$2.42 RON 11.04

-23.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 RON 10.30

$3.38 RON 15.44

-33.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 RON 15.43

$3.83 RON 17.49

-11.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 RON 6.23

$1.72 RON 7.84

-20.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 RON 5.00

$1.35 RON 6.16

-18.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.71

$1.83 RON 8.37

-7.65%

Eggs

$3.33 RON 15.19

$3.65 RON 16.65

-8.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.93 RON 40.78

$9.23 RON 42.12

-3.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.12 RON 32.49

$6.85 RON 31.29

3.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 RON 40.58

$12.03 RON 54.9

-26.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 RON 5.52

$1.34 RON 6.12

-9.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 RON 6.70

$1.72 RON 7.86

-14.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.13

$1.82 RON 8.30

-26.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 RON 8.58

$2.39 RON 10.92

-21.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.47

$1.04 RON 4.76

-26.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.28

$1.02 RON 4.65

-7.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 RON 3.22

$0.98 RON 4.47

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.93

$0.95 RON 4.32

-9.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 RON 26.19

$6.40 RON 29.19

-10.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 RON 31.70

$6.50 RON 29.67

6.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 RON 4.39

$1.24 RON 5.66

-22.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 RON 6.49

$1.93 RON 8.82

-26.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 RON 2.76

$1.14 RON 5.19

-47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.56 RON 89.3

$19.82 RON 90.5

-1.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.27

$0.71 RON 3.26

1.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.81

$0.65 RON 2.98

-4.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 RON 25.75

$6.93 RON 31.64

-18.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.31

$1.66 RON 7.56

-3.61%

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

$24.6K RON 112.4K

$29.0K RON 132.2K

-14.93%

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

$27.7K RON 126.6K

$30.1K RON 137.3K

-7.75%

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

$146 RON 666

$183 RON 837

-20.47%

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

$8.18 RON 37.36

$8.95 RON 40.86

-8.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.12 RON 46.19

$11.12 RON 50.8

-8.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.7 RON 236

$54.4 RON 248

-4.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.49 RON 93.6

$29.49 RON 135

-30.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.10 RON 32.39

$9.13 RON 41.68

-22.23%

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

$424 RON 1,937

$676 RON 3,088

-37.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,977 RON 31.9K

$14.3K RON 65.4K

-51.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.5 RON 376

$81.1 RON 370

1.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.96 RON 196

$44.42 RON 203

-3.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.7 RON 345

$89.8 RON 410

-15.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 RON 440

$108 RON 494

-10.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$532 RON 2,429

$662 RON 3,022

-19.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 RON 1,544

$441 RON 2,011

-23.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 RON 3,488

$1,352 RON 6,173

-43.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 RON 2,149

$849 RON 3,874

-44.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,986 RON 9,065

$3,777 RON 17.2K

-47.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,251 RON 5,709

$2,231 RON 10.2K

-43.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,022 RON 4,667

$1,408 RON 6,427

-27.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

7.1

-6.76%

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

Last update for Ploiesti: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $532 in Ploiesti and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 38% 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: $42.00 in Ploiesti vs $69.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $230 per month, with Ploiesti 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

Ploiesti vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ploiesti and Bucharest differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,116 vs $1,362 including rent). Ploiesti is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 38% 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: $532 in Ploiesti versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,116 per month in Ploiesti versus $1,362 in Bucharest – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ploiesti runs roughly 1% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,116 in Ploiesti versus $1,362 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ploiesti but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Ploiesti 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, Ploiesti 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 Ploiesti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.