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: $947 in Roman versus $1,430 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,555 in Roman versus $2,131 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,163 in Roman versus $2,833 in Bucharest.

Living in Roman costs roughly 34% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Roman is 31% below, Bucharest is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.32 RON 55.7

$15.63 RON 70.6

-21.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.17 RON 159

$62.3 RON 281

-43.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 RON 34.14

$7.85 RON 35.47

-3.69%

Cappuccino

$2.71 RON 12.22

$3.63 RON 16.39

-25.34%

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

$1.41 RON 6.35

$2.48 RON 11.19

-43.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.85

$2.36 RON 10.65

-54.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 RON 14.59

$3.92 RON 17.71

-17.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 RON 10.69

$4.50 RON 20.33

-47.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.40

$1.80 RON 8.12

-8.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 RON 4.12

$1.41 RON 6.37

-35.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.54

$1.78 RON 8.04

-18.54%

Eggs

$2.95 RON 13.33

$3.88 RON 17.52

-23.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 RON 41.76

$9.61 RON 43.43

-3.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.78 RON 30.62

$7.16 RON 32.34

-5.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 RON 46.25

$12.25 RON 55.3

-16.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 RON 5.08

$1.31 RON 5.93

-14.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.20

$1.70 RON 7.66

-6.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 RON 6.48

$1.63 RON 7.36

-12.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 RON 10.51

$2.78 RON 12.55

-16.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 RON 3.24

$0.86 RON 3.89

-16.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.16

$0.74 RON 3.36

24.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.16

$0.94 RON 4.25

-2.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$0.97 RON 4.40

-12.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.89 RON 26.59

$6.87 RON 31.04

-14.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.78 RON 30.65

$6.66 RON 30.07

1.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 RON 5.45

$1.26 RON 5.67

-3.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 RON 8.13

$1.73 RON 7.82

4.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.75 RON 3.40

$1.08 RON 4.86

-30.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.45 RON 110

$21.84 RON 98.7

11.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 2.89

$0.64 RON 2.88

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 RON 3.05

$0.68 RON 3.08

-1.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 RON 31.32

$6.46 RON 29.21

7.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 RON 8.37

$1.98 RON 8.97

-6.57%

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

$30.0K RON 135.6K

$29.4K RON 132.7K

2.24%

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

$27.6K RON 124.6K

$27.8K RON 125.8K

-0.91%

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

$189 RON 852

$204 RON 921

-7.42%

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

$7.34 RON 33.18

$8.53 RON 38.54

-13.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.72 RON 39.41

$9.87 RON 44.59

-11.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.79 RON 184

$54.7 RON 247

-25.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.97 RON 108

$25.58 RON 116

-6.29%

Cinema Ticket

$9.89 RON 44.68

$8.86 RON 40.03

11.63%

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

$311 RON 1,403

$663 RON 2,996

-53.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,173 RON 32.4K

$15.3K RON 69.1K

-53.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 RON 248

$95.2 RON 430

-42.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.18 RON 123

$40.99 RON 185

-33.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 RON 355

$82.7 RON 374

-4.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 RON 271

$101 RON 454

-40.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$223 RON 1,008

$710 RON 3,206

-68.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$163 RON 736

$490 RON 2,215

-66.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$642 RON 2,900

$1,130 RON 5,104

-43.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 RON 2,114

$759 RON 3,429

-38.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,193 RON 9,906

$3,914 RON 17.7K

-43.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,603 RON 7,242

$2,317 RON 10.5K

-30.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$859 RON 3,879

$1,486 RON 6,713

-42.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.83

5.42%

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

Last update for Roman: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $223 in Roman and $710 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 73% 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: $35.00 in Roman vs $62.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $236 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 51% in total monthly costs ($947 vs $1,430 including rent). Roman is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 73% 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: $223 in Roman versus $710 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $947 per month in Roman versus $1,430 in Bucharest – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Roman runs roughly 12% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $947 in Roman versus $1,430 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 51% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.