Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibiu and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Sibiu: $1,112 a month against $1,337 in Bucharest, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

54

Cost of Living Index in Sibiu
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Sibiu Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index

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Sibiu

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,112

/mo nomad

Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,337

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,112 in Sibiu versus $1,337 in Bucharest.

Sibiu $1,112
Bucharest $1,337

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,654 in Sibiu versus $2,029 in Bucharest.

Sibiu $1,654
Bucharest $2,029

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,197 in Sibiu versus $2,721 in Bucharest.

Sibiu $2,197
Bucharest $2,721

Living in Sibiu costs roughly 17% less than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sibiu 18% lower, Bucharest 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.50 RON 40.21

$14.45 RON 68.4

-41.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.33 RON 200

$58.1 RON 275

-27.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 RON 35.37

$7.53 RON 35.65

-0.66%

Cappuccino

$3.27 RON 15.48

$3.45 RON 16.33

-5.22%

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

$2.01 RON 9.50

$2.46 RON 11.65

-18.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 RON 8.33

$2.23 RON 10.54

-21.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 RON 14.60

$3.76 RON 17.78

-17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 RON 18.31

$4.19 RON 19.84

-7.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 RON 6.78

$1.62 RON 7.67

-11.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 RON 5.40

$1.30 RON 6.13

-12.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 RON 6.43

$1.70 RON 8.05

-20.00%

Eggs

$3.47 RON 16.41

$3.79 RON 17.93

-8.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 RON 37.60

$8.86 RON 41.90

-10.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.86 RON 27.73

$6.90 RON 32.67

-15.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.04 RON 38.05

$12.14 RON 57.4

-33.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 RON 5.44

$1.30 RON 6.17

-11.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.43

$1.60 RON 7.55

-1.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 RON 6.80

$1.57 RON 7.42

-8.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 RON 12.02

$2.68 RON 12.67

-5.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 RON 3.13

$0.81 RON 3.82

-18.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 RON 2.84

$0.79 RON 3.73

-24.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 RON 4.68

$0.91 RON 4.30

8.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RON 4.03

$0.97 RON 4.58

-12.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 RON 27.92

$6.41 RON 30.34

-7.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 RON 35.28

$6.18 RON 29.24

20.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.36

$1.23 RON 5.83

-25.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 RON 6.61

$1.67 RON 7.91

-16.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.34

$0.87 RON 4.10

-18.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.14 RON 81.1

$20.98 RON 99.3

-18.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 RON 4.28

$0.66 RON 3.10

37.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 RON 3.79

$0.60 RON 2.85

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.24 RON 39.00

$6.19 RON 29.28

33.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 RON 9.19

$1.93 RON 9.15

0.52%

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

$28.8K RON 136.4K

$28.7K RON 135.9K

0.34%

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

$25.6K RON 121.1K

$26.3K RON 124.6K

-2.76%

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

$117 RON 551

$196 RON 926

-40.42%

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

$9.07 RON 42.90

$8.49 RON 40.19

6.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.40 RON 58.7

$9.05 RON 42.84

37.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.35 RON 167

$49.54 RON 234

-28.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.48 RON 68.5

$25.03 RON 118

-42.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 RON 32.04

$8.24 RON 39.01

-17.84%

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

$449 RON 2,123

$636 RON 3,007

-29.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,702 RON 31.7K

$14.6K RON 69.0K

-54.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.7 RON 353

$88.5 RON 419

-15.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.65 RON 150

$38.77 RON 183

-18.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 RON 413

$78.8 RON 373

10.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 RON 416

$90.6 RON 428

-2.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$450 RON 2,131

$695 RON 3,288

-35.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 RON 1,938

$446 RON 2,109

-8.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 RON 3,960

$1,084 RON 5,130

-22.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$606 RON 2,867

$712 RON 3,368

-14.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,501 RON 11.8K

$3,797 RON 18.0K

-34.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,022 RON 9,566

$2,202 RON 10.4K

-8.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,111 RON 5,257

$1,354 RON 6,406

-17.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.02

6.75

4.00%

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

Last update for Sibiu: October 17, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sibiu

$410 36.8%

Bucharest

$446 33.3% 8.8% $36

Groceries & Markets

Sibiu

$196 17.6%

Bucharest

$225 16.9% 15.3% $30

Eating Out

Sibiu

$168 15.1%

Bucharest

$226 16.9% 34.3% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sibiu

$138 12.4%

Bucharest

$213 15.9% 54.4% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Sibiu

$127 11.4%

Bucharest

$133 10% 5.3% $6.7

Sport & Entertainment

Sibiu

$49 4.4%

Bucharest

$66 4.9% 35.1% $17

Getting Around

Sibiu

$25 2.2%

Bucharest

$28 2.1% 13.1% $3.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $450 in Sibiu and $695 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 22% 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: $42.00 in Sibiu vs $58.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $225 per month, with Sibiu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Sibiu

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🕒 Local time

15:29 3:29 PM

Same time as Sibiu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

147,245

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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Sibiu Bucharest 220 km

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Sibiu
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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

Sibiu vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sibiu and Bucharest differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,112 vs $1,337 including rent). Sibiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 22% 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: $450 in Sibiu versus $695 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,112 per month in Sibiu versus $1,337 in Bucharest – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sibiu runs roughly 22% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,112 in Sibiu versus $1,337 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sibiu but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Sibiu 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, Sibiu 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 Sibiu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.