Cost of Living Comparison Between Sfantu Gheorghe and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Sfantu Gheorghe and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $918 in Sfantu Gheorghe versus $1,331 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Sfantu Gheorghe versus $2,166 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,940 in Sfantu Gheorghe versus $3,000 in Bucharest.

Living in Sfantu Gheorghe costs roughly 31% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sfantu Gheorghe 32% lower, Bucharest 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.45 RON 38.36

$13.87 RON 63.0

-39.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 RON 182

$70.0 RON 318

-42.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.12 RON 41.40

$8.23 RON 37.37

10.81%

Cappuccino

$2.01 RON 9.12

$3.45 RON 15.65

-41.74%

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

$1.27 RON 5.75

$2.33 RON 10.58

-45.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 RON 5.03

$2.31 RON 10.51

-51.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 RON 9.69

$3.51 RON 15.94

-39.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 RON 12.35

$3.79 RON 17.22

-28.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.01

$1.78 RON 8.09

-13.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.52

$1.43 RON 6.49

-14.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.14

$1.83 RON 8.31

-26.23%

Eggs

$3.05 RON 13.83

$3.53 RON 16.04

-13.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.74 RON 39.70

$9.61 RON 43.62

-9.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 RON 18.68

$6.92 RON 31.39

-40.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.30 RON 55.9

$12.27 RON 55.7

0.24%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.46

$1.39 RON 6.32

-29.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 RON 5.95

$1.72 RON 7.79

-23.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.30 RON 5.91

$1.75 RON 7.95

-25.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 RON 9.01

$2.40 RON 10.89

-17.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 RON 3.29

$1.04 RON 4.71

-30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.95

$0.96 RON 4.38

-9.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 RON 3.57

$0.98 RON 4.47

-19.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 RON 3.05

$0.91 RON 4.13

-26.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.52 RON 25.05

$6.35 RON 28.83

-13.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.46 RON 38.39

$6.62 RON 30.05

27.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 RON 4.75

$1.22 RON 5.56

-13.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.13

$2.01 RON 9.11

-43.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.03

$1.12 RON 5.07

-40.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.63 RON 89.1

$19.94 RON 90.5

-1.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 RON 4.29

$0.70 RON 3.20

35.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 RON 3.06

$0.66 RON 2.98

1.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.51 RON 34.11

$6.79 RON 30.85

10.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 RON 7.19

$1.73 RON 7.84

-8.67%

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

$27.9K RON 126.9K

$29.1K RON 132.0K

-3.89%

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

$28.0K RON 127.3K

$30.4K RON 137.9K

-7.73%

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

$168 RON 764

$178 RON 807

-5.36%

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

$8.52 RON 38.69

$9.16 RON 41.60

-6.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.63 RON 43.74

$11.22 RON 50.9

-14.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.76 RON 185

$55.2 RON 251

-26.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.87 RON 85.7

$29.55 RON 134

-36.14%

Cinema Ticket

$3.35 RON 15.21

$8.96 RON 40.66

-62.61%

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

$431 RON 1,958

$657 RON 2,984

-34.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,922 RON 31.4K

$14.5K RON 66.0K

-52.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.47 RON 156

$81.4 RON 370

-57.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.69 RON 84.9

$45.88 RON 208

-59.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$27.87 RON 127

$89.4 RON 406

-68.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.8 RON 317

$109 RON 497

-36.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 RON 1,451

$644 RON 2,925

-50.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 RON 1,042

$444 RON 2,014

-48.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 RON 2,566

$1,343 RON 6,095

-57.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 RON 1,999

$847 RON 3,847

-48.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,926 RON 8,744

$3,941 RON 17.9K

-51.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,397 RON 6,340

$2,248 RON 10.2K

-37.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$724 RON 3,287

$1,425 RON 6,467

-49.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

7.1

-4.93%

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

Last update for Sfantu Gheorghe: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $320 in Sfantu Gheorghe and $644 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 97% 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: $40.00 in Sfantu Gheorghe vs $70.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $233 per month, with Sfantu Gheorghe cheaper across the board.

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

Sfantu Gheorghe vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sfantu Gheorghe and Bucharest differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($918 vs $1,331 including rent). Sfantu Gheorghe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bucharest earns 97% less. 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: $320 in Sfantu Gheorghe versus $644 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $918 per month in Sfantu Gheorghe versus $1,331 in Bucharest – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sfantu Gheorghe runs roughly 2% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $918 in Sfantu Gheorghe versus $1,331 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sfantu Gheorghe but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Sfantu Gheorghe 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, Sfantu Gheorghe 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 Sfantu Gheorghe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.