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: $1,113 in Ploiesti versus $1,336 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,622 in Ploiesti versus $2,162 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,131 in Ploiesti versus $2,988 in Bucharest.

Living in Ploiesti costs roughly 17% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ploiesti is 17% below, Bucharest is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.04 RON 45.40

$13.58 RON 61.4

-26.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.43 RON 192

$68.1 RON 308

-37.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 RON 34.75

$8.05 RON 36.38

-4.47%

Cappuccino

$2.60 RON 11.76

$3.40 RON 15.36

-23.53%

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

$1.91 RON 8.62

$2.32 RON 10.50

-17.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.61

$2.38 RON 10.74

-19.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 RON 10.45

$3.54 RON 15.99

-34.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 RON 15.40

$4.01 RON 18.14

-14.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.34

$1.74 RON 7.88

-19.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 RON 4.71

$1.42 RON 6.42

-26.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 RON 8.02

$1.93 RON 8.73

-8.29%

Eggs

$3.21 RON 14.52

$3.54 RON 15.99

-9.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.90 RON 40.23

$9.27 RON 41.90

-3.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.92 RON 31.26

$7.13 RON 32.21

-2.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 RON 41.72

$12.28 RON 55.5

-24.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 RON 5.27

$1.35 RON 6.11

-13.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 RON 6.58

$1.74 RON 7.86

-16.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 RON 5.82

$1.76 RON 7.98

-26.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.91 RON 8.63

$2.40 RON 10.83

-20.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.61

$1.05 RON 4.72

-23.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.98

$0.96 RON 4.35

-8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.21

$0.92 RON 4.15

-22.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.91

$0.91 RON 4.09

-5.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 RON 25.96

$6.38 RON 28.82

-10.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.94 RON 31.38

$6.45 RON 29.16

7.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$1.22 RON 5.51

-24.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 RON 6.43

$1.98 RON 8.95

-28.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 RON 2.75

$1.16 RON 5.27

-47.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.74 RON 89.2

$19.48 RON 88.0

1.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.23

$0.72 RON 3.25

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.79

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.65 RON 25.55

$6.94 RON 31.35

-18.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.23

$1.71 RON 7.75

-6.43%

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

$24.5K RON 110.7K

$29.0K RON 131.0K

-15.51%

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

$27.6K RON 124.7K

$30.3K RON 137.0K

-8.92%

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

$149 RON 672

$178 RON 803

-16.41%

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

$8.29 RON 37.46

$9.16 RON 41.40

-9.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.81 RON 44.35

$11.12 RON 50.3

-11.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 RON 229

$54.7 RON 247

-7.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.74 RON 93.8

$29.04 RON 131

-28.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.05 RON 31.88

$9.27 RON 41.92

-23.95%

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

$426 RON 1,928

$677 RON 3,060

-37.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,827 RON 30.9K

$14.9K RON 67.2K

-54.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.4 RON 377

$79.8 RON 361

4.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 RON 193

$45.29 RON 205

-5.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 RON 343

$89.2 RON 403

-14.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 RON 435

$109 RON 493

-11.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$521 RON 2,353

$662 RON 2,992

-21.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 RON 1,502

$432 RON 1,953

-23.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 RON 3,438

$1,355 RON 6,126

-43.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 RON 2,116

$841 RON 3,802

-44.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,006 RON 9,067

$3,857 RON 17.4K

-48.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,326 RON 5,993

$2,305 RON 10.4K

-42.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,061 RON 4,795

$1,463 RON 6,615

-27.51%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $521 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 $68.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $233 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 20% in total monthly costs ($1,113 vs $1,336 including rent). Ploiesti is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bucharest earns 38% less. 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: $521 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 $1,113 per month in Ploiesti versus $1,336 in Bucharest – a 20% 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 $1,113 in Ploiesti versus $1,336 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 20% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.