Cost of Living Comparison Between Romania and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between Romania and Australia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,035 per month in Romania vs $2,184 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,583 per month in Romania vs $3,217 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,131 per month in Romania vs $4,249 in Australia, rent included.

Romania is roughly 53% cheaper than Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Romania sits 23% below the global median, while Australia is 63% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Australia has a wider regional cost range ($1,584$2,827) than Romania ($802$1,375), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Australia.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Romania
Australia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.53 RON 50.1
$16.24 A$22.57
-29.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.88 RON 200
$77.1 A$107
-40.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.15 RON 35.47
$9.81 A$13.64
-16.92%
Cappuccino
$2.88 RON 12.52
$3.58 A$4.97
-19.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 RON 8.86
$2.57 A$3.57
-20.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.87 RON 8.12
$2.18 A$3.03
-14.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.78 RON 12.11
$6.63 A$9.22
-58.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.49 RON 15.19
$7.12 A$9.90
-50.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Romania
Australia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.54 RON 6.72
$1.50 A$2.09
2.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.26 RON 5.48
$2.53 A$3.51
-50.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.74 RON 7.56
$2.07 A$2.88
-15.94%
Eggs
$3.30 RON 14.37
$4.29 A$5.96
-23.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.79 RON 38.25
$8.65 A$12.02
1.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.61 RON 28.75
$8.34 A$11.60
-20.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.96 RON 47.68
$13.90 A$19.33
-21.15%
Apples (1kg)
$1.21 RON 5.28
$3.30 A$4.58
-63.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.66 RON 7.22
$2.77 A$3.85
-40.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.60 RON 6.98
$2.95 A$4.10
-45.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 RON 9.40
$4.19 A$5.83
-48.45%
Potato (1kg)
$0.96 RON 4.18
$2.42 A$3.36
-60.33%
Onion (1kg)
$0.98 RON 4.26
$2.10 A$2.92
-53.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 RON 4.28
$2.26 A$3.14
-56.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 RON 3.53
$1.50 A$2.09
-46.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.14 RON 26.72
$31.58 A$43.90
-80.56%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.10 RON 30.87
$14.29 A$19.86
-50.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 RON 5.02
$4.59 A$6.38
-74.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81 RON 7.86
$4.82 A$6.70
-62.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Romania
Australia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.84 RON 3.66
$3.02 A$4.19
-72.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.62 RON 98.4
$98.3 A$137
-76.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.89 RON 3.85
$3.48 A$4.84
-74.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.70 RON 3.06
$1.75 A$2.43
-60.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.95 RON 34.57
$37.97 A$52.8
-79.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.59 RON 6.93
$1.21 A$1.68
31.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3K RON 123.2K
$29.0K A$40.4K
-2.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.6K RON 119.9K
$22.6K A$31.4K
22.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Romania
Australia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$165 RON 716
$177 A$247
-7.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.34 RON 36.29
$26.85 A$37.32
-68.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.05 RON 43.70
$52.4 A$72.9
-80.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Romania
Australia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.04 RON 196
$47.57 A$66.1
-5.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.01 RON 91.4
$16.46 A$22.88
27.64%
Cinema Ticket
$8.22 RON 35.74
$13.73 A$19.09
-40.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Romania
Australia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$497 RON 2,164
$1,593 A$2,215
-68.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,905 RON 43.1K
$12.7K A$17.7K
-22.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Romania
Australia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.1 RON 305
$72.0 A$100
-2.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.52 RON 176
$51.3 A$71.3
-20.95%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$82.7 RON 360
$103 A$143
-19.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.9 RON 400
$108 A$151
-15.27%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Romania
Australia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$496 RON 2,156
$1,401 A$1,947
-64.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$365 RON 1,587
$1,080 A$1,501
-66.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$844 RON 3,673
$2,340 A$3,253
-63.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$612 RON 2,663
$1,756 A$2,441
-65.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,641 RON 11.5K
$7,733 A$10.7K
-65.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,965 RON 8,546
$5,563 A$7,733
-64.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Romania
Australia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,099 RON 4,780
$4,000 A$5,560
-72.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.84
6.35
7.72%

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

Last update for Romania: April 25, 2026

Last update for Australia: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $391 in Romania vs $1,232 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $643 in Bucharest and $1,529 in Canberra.

Average salary: $924 in Romania vs $3,878 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 215% higher in Australia.

Dining out costs 75% more in Australia.

Public transport is 219% more expensive in Australia.

Salaries are 320% higher in Australia, giving Australia stronger purchasing power.

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
Romania vs Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Australia more expensive than Romania?
Romania is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 103% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Australia, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Australia consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Romania, contributing to the overall 103% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Australia or Romania?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Romania, but in Australia it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Australia or Romania?
Romania is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.

Romania vs other spots: cost of living compared

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