Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Romania and India

For one person, living is cheaper in India: $399 a month against $1,133 in Romania, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Romania
India
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,133
/mo nomad
🇮🇳 India
$399
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Romania and in India

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 India actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,133 in Romania versus $399 in India.

  • Romania $1,133
  • India $399

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,691 in Romania versus $639 in India.

  • Romania $1,691
  • India $639

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,250 in Romania versus $879 in India.

  • Romania $2,250
  • India $879

Romania ($742–$1,423) and India ($230–$813) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Living in Romania is roughly 184% more expensive than in India on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Romania 17% lower, India 71% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Romania
India
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.41 RON 49.80
$2.14 ₹203
386.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.28 RON 198
$10.46 ₹993
294.65%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.27 RON 34.77
$3.80 ₹361
91.32%
Cappuccino
$2.72 RON 13.01
$1.68 ₹159
61.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 RON 9.65
$0.38 ₹35.93
431.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 RON 7.98
$0.15 ₹14.58
1013.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.25 RON 10.76
$1.87 ₹177
20.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 RON 15.35
$3.18 ₹302
0.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Romania
India
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 RON 7.30
$0.62 ₹59.1
146.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.15 RON 5.50
$0.50 ₹47.68
130.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.59 RON 7.59
$0.63 ₹60.2
152.38%
Eggs
$3.23 RON 15.47
$0.96 ₹91.1
236.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.03 RON 38.43
$4.85 ₹460
65.57%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.39 RON 30.56
$2.84 ₹270
125.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.22 RON 48.91
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$1.21 RON 5.81
$2.00 ₹190
-39.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 RON 7.35
$0.65 ₹61.3
136.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.54 RON 7.39
$0.97 ₹92.1
58.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 RON 10.06
$0.47 ₹44.22
346.81%
Potato (1kg)
$0.78 RON 3.75
$0.34 ₹31.82
129.41%
Onion (1kg)
$0.86 RON 4.13
$0.42 ₹39.66
104.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.84 RON 4.03
$0.47 ₹44.32
78.72%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 RON 4.02
$0.31 ₹29.62
170.97%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.05 RON 28.94
$5.08 ₹482
19.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.11 RON 29.25
$7.31 ₹694
-16.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.10 RON 5.24
$1.63 ₹154
-32.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 RON 7.51
$2.76 ₹262
-43.12%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.11 ₹485
-
🚌 Getting Around
Romania
India
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.72 RON 3.43
$0.26 ₹24.81
176.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$23.15 RON 111
$8.58 ₹815
169.81%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.80 RON 3.82
$1.00 ₹94.5
-20.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.72 RON 3.47
$0.27 ₹25.69
166.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.00 RON 33.50
$1.54 ₹146
354.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.78 RON 8.53
$1.07 ₹102
66.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.7K RON 137.5K
$11.2K ₹1.1M
156.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K RON 121.3K
$20.1K ₹1.9M
26.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Romania
India
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$160 RON 763
$37.08 ₹3,521
330.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.98 RON 38.17
$3.58 ₹340
122.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.83 RON 42.27
$7.15 ₹679
23.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Romania
India
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.42 RON 193
$15.00 ₹1,424
169.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.47 RON 88.4
$7.17 ₹681
157.60%
Cinema Ticket
$7.35 RON 35.17
$3.20 ₹303
129.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Romania
India
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$473 RON 2,265
$58.8 ₹5,583
705.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,477 RON 40.6K
$1,667 ₹158.2K
408.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Romania
India
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$69.5 RON 333
$23.03 ₹2,187
201.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.71 RON 180
$24.17 ₹2,295
56.02%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.6 RON 381
$41.20 ₹3,911
93.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.3 RON 403
$29.62 ₹2,812
184.64%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Romania
India
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$503 RON 2,408
$146 ₹13.9K
243.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$375 RON 1,796
$96.4 ₹9,149
289.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$776 RON 3,712
$343 ₹32.6K
126.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$579 RON 2,768
$234 ₹22.2K
147.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,539 RON 12.1K
$1,177 ₹111.7K
115.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,819 RON 8,701
$633 ₹60.1K
187.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Romania
India
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,001 RON 4,787
$409 ₹38.8K
144.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.98
8.93
-21.84%

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

Last update for Romania: October 24, 2026

Last update for India: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Romania
$375
India
$96 74.3% $279
Groceries & Markets
Romania
$203
India
$102 49.7% $101
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Romania
$176
India
$48 72.9% $129
Eating Out
Romania
$170
India
$67 60.9% $104
Clothing & Footwear
Romania
$122
India
$53 56.5% $69
Sport & Entertainment
Romania
$55
India
$21 61.2% $34
Getting Around
Romania
$30
India
$12 60.6% $18

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $387 in Romania, $120 in India. Capital cities: $711 in Bucharest vs $277 in Delhi.

National salary averages: $857 in Romania, $412 in India. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 223% higher in Romania.

Dining out costs 273% more in Romania.

Public transport is 175% more expensive in Romania.

Salaries are about 2.1 times higher in Romania, and purchasing power comes out stronger in India.

Good to know
🇷🇴 Romania
🇮🇳 India
🕒 Local time
02:12 2:12 AM
05:42 5:42 AM
3 h 30 min ahead of Romania
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
19,053,815
1,326,093,247
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 4.78 RON (1 RON = 0.209 USD). 1 EUR = 5.34 RON (1 RON = 0.187 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 94.94 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.43 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Romania India 4,800 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Romania
  • India

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 India: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Romania?
At $399 per month in India and $1,133 in Romania, India comes out about 65% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in India: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $387 in Romania and $120 in India. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Romania?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Romania it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or to Romania?
It depends on what you’re after: India wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.

Romania vs other spots: cost of living compared

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