Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Romania and Canada

For one person, living is cheaper in Romania: $1,133 a month against $2,310 in Canada, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Romania
Canada
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,133
/mo nomad
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,310
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Romania and in Canada

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Romania and in Canada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,133 per month in Romania vs $2,310 in Canada, rent included.

  • Romania $1,133
  • Canada $2,310

A couple spends around $1,691 per month in Romania vs $3,356 in Canada, rent included.

  • Romania $1,691
  • Canada $3,356

A family of three spends $2,250 per month in Romania vs $4,403 in Canada, rent included.

  • Romania $2,250
  • Canada $4,403

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($889–$3,737) than in Romania ($742–$1,423), so city choice matters more there.

The cost of living in Romania is roughly 51% lower than in Canada on average.

Romania sits 17% below the global median, while Canada is 70% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Romania
Canada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.41 RON 49.74
$18.16 CA$25.38
-42.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.28 RON 197
$71.2 CA$99.5
-42.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.27 RON 34.73
$10.81 CA$15.11
-32.75%
Cappuccino
$2.72 RON 13.00
$3.78 CA$5.28
-28.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 RON 9.63
$2.11 CA$2.96
-4.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 RON 7.97
$1.66 CA$2.32
0.60%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.25 RON 10.75
$5.62 CA$7.85
-59.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 RON 15.33
$5.72 CA$7.99
-43.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Romania
Canada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 RON 7.30
$2.17 CA$3.04
-29.49%
White Bread (500g)
$1.15 RON 5.49
$2.60 CA$3.64
-55.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.59 RON 7.59
$3.65 CA$5.11
-56.44%
Eggs
$3.23 RON 15.45
$3.63 CA$5.07
-11.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.03 RON 38.38
$10.76 CA$15.04
-25.37%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.39 RON 30.52
$11.90 CA$16.62
-46.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.22 RON 48.85
$15.42 CA$21.55
-33.72%
Apples (1kg)
$1.21 RON 5.80
$4.03 CA$5.63
-69.98%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 RON 7.34
$1.38 CA$1.94
11.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.54 RON 7.38
$3.88 CA$5.41
-60.31%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 RON 10.05
$4.08 CA$5.70
-48.53%
Potato (1kg)
$0.78 RON 3.75
$2.57 CA$3.59
-69.65%
Onion (1kg)
$0.86 RON 4.13
$2.48 CA$3.46
-65.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.84 RON 4.03
$2.65 CA$3.70
-68.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 RON 4.01
$1.71 CA$2.40
-50.88%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.05 RON 28.91
$14.32 CA$20.01
-57.75%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.11 RON 29.22
$13.49 CA$18.85
-54.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 RON 5.23
$2.84 CA$3.97
-61.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 RON 7.50
$3.30 CA$4.62
-52.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Romania
Canada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.72 RON 3.42
$2.55 CA$3.57
-71.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$23.15 RON 111
$71.9 CA$101
-67.82%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.80 RON 3.81
$3.18 CA$4.44
-74.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.72 RON 3.46
$1.54 CA$2.15
-53.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.00 RON 33.46
$26.69 CA$37.30
-73.77%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.78 RON 8.52
$1.24 CA$1.74
43.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.7K RON 137.3K
$27.9K CA$39.0K
3.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K RON 121.1K
$21.1K CA$29.4K
20.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Romania
Canada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$160 RON 762
$147 CA$206
8.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.98 RON 38.12
$41.80 CA$58.4
-80.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.83 RON 42.22
$60.2 CA$84.1
-85.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Romania
Canada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.42 RON 193
$39.01 CA$54.5
3.61%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.47 RON 88.3
$19.06 CA$26.64
-3.10%
Cinema Ticket
$7.35 RON 35.13
$11.21 CA$15.66
-34.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Romania
Canada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$473 RON 2,262
$721 CA$1,008
-34.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,477 RON 40.5K
$14.8K CA$20.7K
-42.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Romania
Canada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.5 RON 332
$55.3 CA$77.2
25.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.71 RON 180
$38.95 CA$54.4
-3.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.6 RON 380
$87.4 CA$122
-8.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.3 RON 403
$101 CA$142
-16.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Romania
Canada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$503 RON 2,405
$1,290 CA$1,803
-61.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$375 RON 1,794
$1,130 CA$1,579
-66.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$776 RON 3,708
$2,036 CA$2,845
-61.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$579 RON 2,765
$1,731 CA$2,418
-66.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,539 RON 12.1K
$4,769 CA$6,664
-46.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,819 RON 8,691
$3,730 CA$5,211
-51.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Romania
Canada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,001 RON 4,782
$3,070 CA$4,289
-67.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.98
4.87
43.33%

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

Last update for Romania: October 24, 2026

Last update for Canada: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Romania
$375
Canada
$1.1K 201% $755
Groceries & Markets
Romania
$203
Canada
$371 82.6% $168
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Romania
$176
Canada
$249 41.4% $73
Eating Out
Romania
$170
Canada
$278 63.3% $108
Clothing & Footwear
Romania
$122
Canada
$127 4.3% $5.3
Sport & Entertainment
Romania
$55
Canada
$61 11.4% $6.3
Getting Around
Romania
$30
Canada
$93 206% $63

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $387 in Romania vs $1,250 in Canada. For reference, capital cities sit at $711 in Bucharest and $1,434 in Ottawa.

Average salary: $857 in Romania vs $2,968 in Canada. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 223% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 56% more in Canada.

Public transport is 200% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are about 3.5 times higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Canada.

Good to know
🇷🇴 Romania
🇨🇦 Canada
🕒 Local time
13:49 1:49 PM
06:49 6:49 AM
7 h behind Romania
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
19,053,815
36,991,981
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 4.78 RON (1 RON = 0.209 USD). 1 EUR = 5.34 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Romania Canada 7,410 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Romania
  • Canada

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Canada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Canada more expensive than Romania?
Romania is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 51% lower on average.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in Canada: a central one-bedroom averages $1,250 versus $387 in Romania.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in Romania – part of why living there is about 51% cheaper overall.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget in Canada or in Romania?
$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Romania, but in Canada it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Canada or to Romania?
Romania is the budget-friendly choice for expats. 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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