Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Satu Mare and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Satu Mare: $930 a month against $1,337 in Bucharest, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

45

Cost of Living Index in Satu Mare
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Satu Mare Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index

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Satu Mare

🇷🇴 Romania

$930

/mo nomad

Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,337

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Satu Mare 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 Satu Mare and in Bucharest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $930 in Satu Mare versus $1,337 in Bucharest.

Satu Mare $930
Bucharest $1,337

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,406 in Satu Mare versus $2,029 in Bucharest.

Satu Mare $1,406
Bucharest $2,029

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,883 in Satu Mare versus $2,721 in Bucharest.

Satu Mare $1,883
Bucharest $2,721

Living in Satu Mare costs roughly 30% less than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Satu Mare 31% lower, Bucharest 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.20 RON 38.81

$14.45 RON 68.4

-43.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.51 RON 154

$58.1 RON 275

-44.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 RON 30.67

$7.53 RON 35.65

-13.94%

Cappuccino

$2.50 RON 11.81

$3.45 RON 16.33

-27.54%

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

$1.49 RON 7.04

$2.46 RON 11.65

-39.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 RON 6.07

$2.23 RON 10.54

-42.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 RON 8.87

$3.76 RON 17.78

-50.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 RON 11.55

$4.19 RON 19.84

-41.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 RON 5.33

$1.62 RON 7.67

-30.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 RON 5.04

$1.30 RON 6.13

-18.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.36

$1.70 RON 8.05

-33.53%

Eggs

$2.69 RON 12.71

$3.79 RON 17.93

-29.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.35 RON 34.79

$8.86 RON 41.90

-17.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 RON 35.63

$6.90 RON 32.67

9.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 RON 51.2

$12.14 RON 57.4

-10.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 RON 5.19

$1.30 RON 6.17

-15.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 RON 6.15

$1.60 RON 7.55

-18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 RON 6.04

$1.57 RON 7.42

-18.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 RON 6.75

$2.68 RON 12.67

-46.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 RON 5.61

$0.81 RON 3.82

46.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 RON 6.48

$0.79 RON 3.73

73.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 4.14

$0.91 RON 4.30

-3.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RON 3.34

$0.97 RON 4.58

-26.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.57 RON 26.38

$6.41 RON 30.34

-13.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.19 RON 29.29

$6.18 RON 29.24

0.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 RON 5.80

$1.23 RON 5.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 RON 8.06

$1.67 RON 7.91

1.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 RON 2.56

$0.87 RON 4.10

-37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.41 RON 111

$20.98 RON 99.3

11.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.80 RON 3.79

$0.66 RON 3.10

21.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 RON 4.03

$0.60 RON 2.85

41.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 RON 38.34

$6.19 RON 29.28

30.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 RON 7.47

$1.93 RON 9.15

-18.13%

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

$22.8K RON 107.9K

$28.7K RON 135.9K

-20.66%

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

$25.3K RON 119.5K

$26.3K RON 124.6K

-4.07%

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

$126 RON 597

$196 RON 926

-35.52%

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

$7.14 RON 33.79

$8.49 RON 40.19

-15.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.25 RON 34.30

$9.05 RON 42.84

-19.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.55 RON 197

$49.54 RON 234

-16.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.68 RON 50.5

$25.03 RON 118

-57.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 RON 29.29

$8.24 RON 39.01

-24.88%

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

$155 RON 733

$636 RON 3,007

-75.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,829 RON 18.1K

$14.6K RON 69.0K

-73.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 RON 282

$88.5 RON 419

-32.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.51 RON 135

$38.77 RON 183

-26.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 RON 405

$78.8 RON 373

8.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 RON 328

$90.6 RON 428

-23.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$322 RON 1,524

$695 RON 3,288

-53.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$260 RON 1,229

$446 RON 2,109

-41.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$647 RON 3,060

$1,084 RON 5,130

-40.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 RON 1,938

$712 RON 3,368

-42.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,007 RON 4,765

$3,797 RON 18.0K

-73.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,056 RON 4,995

$2,202 RON 10.4K

-52.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$650 RON 3,075

$1,354 RON 6,406

-52.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

6.75

4.44%

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

Last update for Satu Mare: October 18, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Satu Mare

$260 27.9%

Bucharest

$446 33.3% 71.6% $186

Groceries & Markets

Satu Mare

$195 21%

Bucharest

$225 16.9% 15.6% $30

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Satu Mare

$141 15.1%

Bucharest

$213 15.9% 51.7% $73

Eating Out

Satu Mare

$140 15.1%

Bucharest

$226 16.9% 60.7% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Satu Mare

$109 11.8%

Bucharest

$133 10% 22.1% $24

Sport & Entertainment

Satu Mare

$54 5.8%

Bucharest

$66 4.9% 22.4% $12

Getting Around

Satu Mare

$31 3.3%

Bucharest

$28 2.1% 8.2% $2.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $322 in Satu Mare and $695 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 108% 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: $33.00 in Satu Mare vs $58.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $225 per month, with Satu Mare cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Satu Mare

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🕒 Local time

00:57 12:57 AM

Same time as Satu Mare

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

102,411

1,883,425 Capital

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Satu Mare Bucharest 450 km

From you

Satu Mare
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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

Satu Mare vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Satu Mare and Bucharest differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($930 vs $1,337 including rent). Satu Mare is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 108% lower in Bucharest. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $322 in Satu Mare versus $695 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $930 per month in Satu Mare versus $1,337 in Bucharest – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Satu Mare runs roughly 12% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $930 in Satu Mare versus $1,337 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Satu Mare but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Satu Mare 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, Satu Mare 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 Satu Mare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.