Cost of Living Comparison Between Roman and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Roman and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $987 in Roman versus $1,336 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,496 in Roman versus $2,162 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,004 in Roman versus $2,988 in Bucharest.

Living in Roman costs roughly 26% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Roman is 26% below, Bucharest is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 RON 55.7

$13.58 RON 61.8

-9.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.08 RON 123

$68.1 RON 310

-60.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 RON 36.29

$8.05 RON 36.64

-0.99%

Cappuccino

$3.36 RON 15.31

$3.40 RON 15.47

-1.18%

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

$1.14 RON 5.19

$2.32 RON 10.57

-50.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 RON 9.49

$2.38 RON 10.81

-12.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 RON 15.01

$3.54 RON 16.10

-6.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 RON 10.77

$4.01 RON 18.27

-40.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.98

$1.74 RON 7.94

-12.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.88 RON 3.99

$1.42 RON 6.46

-38.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.55

$1.93 RON 8.79

-13.99%

Eggs

$3.01 RON 13.72

$3.54 RON 16.10

-14.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.62 RON 39.25

$9.27 RON 42.19

-7.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 RON 32.14

$7.13 RON 32.44

-0.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.64 RON 53.0

$12.28 RON 55.9

-5.21%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 RON 4.14

$1.35 RON 6.16

-32.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 RON 6.71

$1.74 RON 7.91

-15.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 RON 6.99

$1.76 RON 8.03

-12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 RON 10.23

$2.40 RON 10.91

-6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.80

$1.05 RON 4.76

-20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.66

$0.96 RON 4.38

6.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 4.03

$0.92 RON 4.18

-4.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 RON 3.74

$0.91 RON 4.12

-9.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 RON 27.31

$6.38 RON 29.03

-5.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.71 RON 30.53

$6.45 RON 29.37

4.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 RON 5.03

$1.22 RON 5.55

-9.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RON 7.74

$1.98 RON 9.02

-14.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 RON 3.07

$1.16 RON 5.30

-41.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.08 RON 91.4

$19.48 RON 88.7

3.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.27

$0.72 RON 3.28

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.93

$0.62 RON 2.81

3.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.84 RON 31.15

$6.94 RON 31.57

-1.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.55

$1.71 RON 7.80

-2.92%

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

$28.4K RON 129.2K

$29.0K RON 131.9K

-2.09%

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

$27.4K RON 124.6K

$30.3K RON 137.9K

-9.65%

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

$91.1 RON 415

$178 RON 809

-48.72%

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

$3.48 RON 15.83

$9.16 RON 41.69

-62.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.62 RON 25.56

$11.12 RON 50.6

-49.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.73 RON 185

$54.7 RON 249

-25.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.27 RON 87.7

$29.04 RON 132

-33.64%

Cinema Ticket

$10.82 RON 49.25

$9.27 RON 42.22

16.72%

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

$324 RON 1,474

$677 RON 3,082

-52.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,501 RON 29.6K

$14.9K RON 67.6K

-56.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.6 RON 303

$79.8 RON 363

-16.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.36 RON 79.0

$45.29 RON 206

-61.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 RON 438

$89.2 RON 406

7.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.87 RON 154

$109 RON 497

-68.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 RON 1,751

$662 RON 3,014

-41.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 RON 1,305

$432 RON 1,967

-33.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$592 RON 2,694

$1,355 RON 6,170

-56.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 RON 1,969

$841 RON 3,828

-48.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,602 RON 7,291

$3,857 RON 17.6K

-58.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,480 RON 6,737

$2,305 RON 10.5K

-35.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$865 RON 3,937

$1,463 RON 6,662

-40.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

7.1

8.45%

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

Last update for Roman: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $385 in Roman and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 69% 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: $27.00 in Roman vs $68.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $233 per month, with Roman 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

Roman vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Roman and Bucharest differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($987 vs $1,336 including rent). Roman is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bucharest earns 69% 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: $385 in Roman versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $987 per month in Roman versus $1,336 in Bucharest – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $987 in Roman versus $1,336 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Roman but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Roman 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.

Expats usually find Roman gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.