Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Schio and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Bucharest: $1,340 a month against $1,668 in Schio, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Schio
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,668
/mo nomad
Bucharest
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,340
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,668 in Schio versus $1,340 in Bucharest.

  • Schio $1,668
  • Bucharest $1,340

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,556 in Schio versus $2,037 in Bucharest.

  • Schio $2,556
  • Bucharest $2,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,444 in Schio versus $2,734 in Bucharest.

  • Schio $3,444
  • Bucharest $2,734

Living in Schio is roughly 24% more expensive than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Schio is 24% above, Bucharest is 1% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Schio
Bucharest
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.01 €13.35
$14.49 RON 68.6
3.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$56.8 €50.5
$58.1 RON 275
-2.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.30 €9.16
$7.48 RON 35.40
37.70%
Cappuccino
$1.81 €1.61
$3.44 RON 16.29
-47.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 €2.13
$2.37 RON 11.22
0.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.15 €1.02
$2.30 RON 10.88
-50.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.66 €5.03
$3.70 RON 17.51
52.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.06 €4.50
$4.16 RON 19.69
21.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Schio
Bucharest
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 €1.29
$1.67 RON 7.90
-13.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.34 €2.08
$1.37 RON 6.50
70.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.28 €2.92
$1.72 RON 8.14
90.70%
Eggs
$4.09 €3.64
$3.64 RON 17.22
12.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.01 €15.13
$9.08 RON 42.98
87.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.01 €10.68
$6.84 RON 32.35
75.58%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.85 €16.76
$12.00 RON 56.8
57.08%
Apples (1kg)
$2.17 €1.93
$1.23 RON 5.80
76.42%
Banana (1kg)
$2.24 €1.99
$1.63 RON 7.73
37.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 €1.97
$1.57 RON 7.45
41.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.24 €1.99
$2.54 RON 12.01
-11.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.95 €1.73
$0.79 RON 3.75
146.84%
Onion (1kg)
$1.92 €1.70
$0.77 RON 3.66
149.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.66 €1.47
$0.87 RON 4.13
90.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.61 €0.55
$0.99 RON 4.70
-38.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.58 €5.85
$6.31 RON 29.86
4.28%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.64 €5.90
$6.20 RON 29.34
7.10%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32 €1.18
$1.19 RON 5.63
10.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 €1.55
$1.57 RON 7.45
10.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Schio
Bucharest
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.69 €1.51
$0.86 RON 4.08
96.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.57 €39.65
$21.10 RON 99.8
111.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.77 €7.80
$0.64 RON 3.05
1270.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 €1.53
$0.60 RON 2.86
186.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$44.67 €39.74
$6.43 RON 30.43
594.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.97 €1.75
$1.96 RON 9.25
0.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.2K €32.2K
$29.0K RON 137.2K
24.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.5K €31.6K
$26.6K RON 126.0K
33.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Schio
Bucharest
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$193 €172
$196 RON 927
-1.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.75 €7.78
$8.04 RON 38.04
8.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.80 €30.06
$9.35 RON 44.21
261.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Schio
Bucharest
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.7 €54.9
$50.2 RON 238
22.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.44 €20.85
$25.33 RON 120
-7.46%
Cinema Ticket
$10.45 €9.30
$8.15 RON 38.55
28.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Schio
Bucharest
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$509 €452
$628 RON 2,971
-19.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.5K €12.0K
$14.1K RON 66.6K
-4.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Schio
Bucharest
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.2 €70.4
$89.6 RON 424
-11.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.25 €29.58
$38.32 RON 181
-13.23%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$90.2 €80.2
$79.3 RON 375
13.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$154 €137
$90.4 RON 428
70.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Schio
Bucharest
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$718 €639
$678 RON 3,209
5.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$569 €506
$448 RON 2,121
26.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,097 €976
$1,083 RON 5,125
1.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,004 €893
$725 RON 3,430
38.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,491 €2,216
$3,751 RON 17.7K
-33.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,751 €1,558
$2,195 RON 10.4K
-20.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Schio
Bucharest
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,329 RON 6,290
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.34
6.75
-50.52%

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

Last update for Schio: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Schio
$569
Bucharest
$448 21.2% $121
Groceries & Markets
Schio
$326
Bucharest
$225 31% $101
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Schio
$236
Bucharest
$213 9.6% $23
Eating Out
Schio
$225
Bucharest
$225 0% $0
Clothing & Footwear
Schio
$161
Bucharest
$134 16.6% $27
Sport & Entertainment
Schio
$83
Bucharest
$67 19.5% $16
Getting Around
Schio
$69
Bucharest
$28 58.9% $40

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $718 in Schio and $678 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $57.0 in Schio vs $58.0 in Bucharest. Groceries flip the comparison at $326 vs $225, with Bucharest cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇹 Schio
🇷🇴 Bucharest
🕒 Local time
16:38 4:38 PM
17:38 5:38 PM
1 h ahead of Schio
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
39,355
1,883,425 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Schio Bucharest 1,170 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Schio
  • 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
Schio vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Schio and in Bucharest?
Schio and Bucharest differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,668 vs $1,340 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Schio compared to Bucharest?
You'd need roughly $2,502 in Schio and $2,011 in Bucharest to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Schio and in Bucharest?
Rent for a central apartment: $718 in Schio versus $678 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Schio or Bucharest?
All in, you'll spend $1,668 per month in Schio versus $1,340 in Bucharest – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Schio and in Bucharest?
A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 111% less than in Schio. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,340 in Bucharest versus $1,668 in Schio, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Schio. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Schio and Bucharest?
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.
Is Schio or Bucharest safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Schio 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.
Where should expats move: Schio or Bucharest?
Expats usually find Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Schio. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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