Cost of Living Comparison Between Romania and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Romania and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,035 in Romania versus $711 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,583 in Romania versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,131 in Romania versus $1,550 in China.

Living in Romania is roughly 46% more expensive than China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Romania 23% lower, China 47% lower.

Romania ($802–$1,375) and China ($525–$1,220) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 RON 50.3

$2.75 ¥18.83

319.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.88 RON 200

$24.03 ¥165

90.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.15 RON 35.55

$4.96 ¥33.95

64.31%

Cappuccino

$2.88 RON 12.55

$3.12 ¥21.37

-7.69%

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

$2.04 RON 8.88

$0.48 ¥3.26

325.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 RON 8.14

$0.27 ¥1.84

592.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 RON 12.14

$0.98 ¥6.73

183.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 RON 15.23

$2.15 ¥14.69

62.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 6.73

$1.83 ¥12.53

-15.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.49

$1.68 ¥11.54

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.58

$0.91 ¥6.21

91.21%

Eggs

$3.30 RON 14.40

$1.56 ¥10.66

111.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.79 RON 38.34

$12.97 ¥88.9

-32.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 RON 28.82

$3.25 ¥22.23

103.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 RON 47.79

$10.51 ¥72.0

4.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 RON 5.30

$1.81 ¥12.41

-33.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.24

$1.30 ¥8.90

27.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.00

$1.50 ¥10.26

6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 RON 9.42

$1.15 ¥7.87

87.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.19

$0.76 ¥5.20

26.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.27

$0.89 ¥6.07

10.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.29

$0.58 ¥3.97

68.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 RON 3.54

$0.58 ¥3.95

39.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 RON 26.78

$3.50 ¥23.95

75.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.10 RON 30.94

$11.55 ¥79.1

-38.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 RON 5.04

$0.78 ¥5.31

48.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 RON 7.87

$1.61 ¥11.03

12.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 RON 3.67

$0.44 ¥3.01

90.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.62 RON 98.6

$21.15 ¥145

6.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 RON 3.86

$1.36 ¥9.35

-34.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.07

$0.36 ¥2.44

94.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.95 RON 34.65

$6.61 ¥45.28

20.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 6.94

$1.13 ¥7.74

40.71%

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

$28.3K RON 123.5K

$19.7K ¥135.2K

43.41%

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

$27.6K RON 120.2K

$17.1K ¥117.0K

61.37%

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

$165 RON 717

$50.9 ¥349

223.18%

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

$8.34 RON 36.37

$10.03 ¥68.7

-16.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.05 RON 43.80

$11.33 ¥77.6

-11.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.04 RON 196

$40.13 ¥275

12.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.01 RON 91.6

$14.97 ¥103

40.35%

Cinema Ticket

$8.22 RON 35.82

$6.09 ¥41.74

34.98%

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

$497 RON 2,169

$418 ¥2,860

19.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,905 RON 43.2K

$17.3K ¥118.2K

-42.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 RON 305

$46.40 ¥318

50.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.52 RON 177

$32.92 ¥226

23.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 RON 360

$71.1 ¥487

16.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.9 RON 401

$72.9 ¥499

26.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 RON 2,161

$438 ¥3,003

13.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 RON 1,591

$259 ¥1,775

40.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 RON 3,681

$926 ¥6,341

-8.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$612 RON 2,669

$548 ¥3,754

11.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,641 RON 11.5K

$5,047 ¥34.6K

-47.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,965 RON 8,566

$2,666 ¥18.3K

-26.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,099 RON 4,791

$1,074 ¥7,357

2.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.84

4.06

68.47%

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

Last update for Romania: April 25, 2026

Last update for China: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $391 in Romania, $286 in China. Capital cities: $643 in Bucharest vs $886 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $924 in Romania, $834 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 37% higher in Romania.

Dining out costs 110% more in Romania.

Public transport is 17% more expensive in Romania.

Salaries are 11% higher in Romania, giving China 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 China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $873 per month in China and $1,089 in Romania, there's a 25% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Romania beats China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Romania, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. China wins on affordability; Romania may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.