Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Rumia and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Bucharest: $1,340 a month against $1,450 in Rumia, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Rumia outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

70

Cost of Living Index in Rumia
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Rumia Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
Learn more

Bucharest Living Index

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Rumia

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,450

/mo nomad

Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,340

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Rumia and in Bucharest

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,450 in Rumia versus $1,340 in Bucharest.

Rumia $1,450
Bucharest $1,340

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,065 in Rumia versus $2,037 in Bucharest.

Rumia $2,065
Bucharest $2,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,680 in Rumia versus $2,734 in Bucharest.

Rumia $2,680
Bucharest $2,734

Living in Rumia is roughly 8% more expensive than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rumia is 7% above, Bucharest is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 zł 39.07

$14.49 RON 68.6

-30.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.48 zł 118

$58.1 RON 275

-47.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.63 zł 25.77

$7.48 RON 35.40

-11.36%

Cappuccino

$3.72 zł 14.46

$3.44 RON 16.29

8.14%

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

$2.16 zł 8.40

$2.37 RON 11.22

-8.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 zł 6.31

$2.30 RON 10.88

-29.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 zł 13.52

$3.70 RON 17.51

-5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 zł 15.18

$4.16 RON 19.69

-6.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 zł 3.66

$1.67 RON 7.90

-43.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 zł 4.72

$1.37 RON 6.50

-11.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 zł 5.45

$1.72 RON 8.14

-18.60%

Eggs

$3.57 zł 13.88

$3.64 RON 17.22

-1.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.73 zł 33.91

$9.08 RON 42.98

-3.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 zł 24.29

$6.84 RON 32.35

-8.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.74 zł 45.60

$12.00 RON 56.8

-2.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 zł 4.35

$1.23 RON 5.80

-8.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 zł 6.41

$1.63 RON 7.73

1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 zł 6.14

$1.57 RON 7.45

0.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.72 zł 10.58

$2.54 RON 12.01

7.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 zł 3.41

$0.79 RON 3.75

11.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 zł 3.84

$0.77 RON 3.66

28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 zł 4.87

$0.87 RON 4.13

43.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 zł 3.92

$0.99 RON 4.70

2.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 zł 20.92

$6.31 RON 29.86

-14.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.70 zł 26.02

$6.20 RON 29.34

8.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 zł 4.22

$1.19 RON 5.63

-9.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 zł 6.11

$1.57 RON 7.45

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 zł 4.96

$0.86 RON 4.08

48.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.33 zł 122

$21.10 RON 99.8

48.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 zł 7.76

$0.64 RON 3.05

212.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 zł 2.85

$0.60 RON 2.86

21.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.63 zł 37.43

$6.43 RON 30.43

49.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 zł 6.57

$1.96 RON 9.25

-13.78%

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

$30.2K zł 117.3K

$29.0K RON 137.2K

4.12%

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

$26.6K zł 103.4K

$26.6K RON 126.0K

-0.10%

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

$278 zł 1,081

$196 RON 927

42.07%

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

$8.51 zł 33.06

$8.04 RON 38.04

5.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.01 zł 66.1

$9.35 RON 44.21

81.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.18 zł 148

$50.2 RON 238

-23.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.71 zł 84.4

$25.33 RON 120

-14.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.21 zł 28.01

$8.15 RON 38.55

-11.53%

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

$369 zł 1,433

$628 RON 2,971

-41.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,850 zł 30.5K

$14.1K RON 66.6K

-44.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 zł 316

$89.6 RON 424

-9.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.32 zł 157

$38.32 RON 181

5.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 zł 338

$79.3 RON 375

9.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.1 zł 385

$90.4 RON 428

9.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 zł 2,377

$678 RON 3,209

-9.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$514 zł 1,998

$448 RON 2,121

14.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 zł 3,798

$1,083 RON 5,125

-9.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 zł 3,204

$725 RON 3,430

13.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,692 zł 10.5K

$3,751 RON 17.7K

-28.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,985 zł 7,711

$2,195 RON 10.4K

-9.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,483 zł 5,762

$1,329 RON 6,290

11.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.75

-1.04%

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

Last update for Rumia: October 11, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Rumia

$514 35.5%

Bucharest

$448 33.5% 12.8% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Rumia

$304 21%

Bucharest

$213 15.9% 29.8% $91

Groceries & Markets

Rumia

$213 14.7%

Bucharest

$225 16.8% 5.5% $12

Eating Out

Rumia

$185 12.8%

Bucharest

$225 16.8% 21.5% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Rumia

$138 9.6%

Bucharest

$134 10% 3.3% $4.6

Sport & Entertainment

Rumia

$53 3.6%

Bucharest

$67 5% 26.5% $14

Getting Around

Rumia

$42 2.9%

Bucharest

$28 2.1% 33% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $612 in Rumia and $678 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rumia pays 12% 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: $30.00 in Rumia vs $58.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $225 per month, with Rumia cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇱 Rumia

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🕒 Local time

02:26 2:26 AM

03:26 3:26 AM

1 h ahead of Rumia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

49,672

1,883,425 Capital

💱 Currency

Polish Złoty PLN zł

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 PLN = 0.257 USD

1 PLN = 0.229 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to PLN – Polish Złoty Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇱 Polish Złoty (zł)

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

USD to PLN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Rumia Bucharest 1,250 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Rumia
Bucharest

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

Rumia vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rumia and Bucharest differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,450 vs $1,340 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Rumia, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $612 in Rumia versus $678 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,450 per month in Rumia versus $1,340 in Bucharest – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 48% less than in Rumia. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,340 in Bucharest versus $1,450 in Rumia, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Rumia. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest 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.

Safety-wise, Rumia and Bucharest are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Rumia. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.