Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibiu and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Sibiu and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,074 in Sibiu versus $1,362 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,655 in Sibiu versus $2,133 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,236 in Sibiu versus $2,903 in Bucharest.

Living in Sibiu costs roughly 21% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sibiu is 20% below, Bucharest is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.30 RON 42.45

$14.09 RON 64.3

-34.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.72 RON 209

$68.8 RON 314

-33.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.98 RON 31.85

$8.08 RON 36.87

-13.61%

Cappuccino

$3.11 RON 14.20

$3.39 RON 15.48

-8.26%

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

$2.07 RON 9.45

$2.24 RON 10.24

-7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.83

$2.42 RON 11.04

-29.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 RON 12.88

$3.38 RON 15.44

-16.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.59

$3.83 RON 17.49

-10.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 6.91

$1.72 RON 7.84

-12.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.73

$1.35 RON 6.16

-6.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 RON 7.04

$1.83 RON 8.37

-15.85%

Eggs

$3.22 RON 14.72

$3.65 RON 16.65

-11.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 RON 35.96

$9.23 RON 42.12

-14.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 RON 28.95

$6.85 RON 31.29

-7.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.11 RON 41.57

$12.03 RON 54.9

-24.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 RON 5.28

$1.34 RON 6.12

-13.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.16

$1.72 RON 7.86

-8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.52

$1.82 RON 8.30

-9.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 RON 10.10

$2.39 RON 10.92

-7.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.52

$1.04 RON 4.76

-25.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.99

$1.02 RON 4.65

-14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 RON 4.80

$0.98 RON 4.47

7.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.94

$0.95 RON 4.32

-9.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 RON 26.94

$6.40 RON 29.19

-7.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.32 RON 38.00

$6.50 RON 29.67

28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 RON 4.52

$1.24 RON 5.66

-20.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 RON 8.22

$1.93 RON 8.82

-6.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.27

$1.14 RON 5.19

-36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.78 RON 90.3

$19.82 RON 90.5

-0.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.13

$0.71 RON 3.26

26.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.77

$0.65 RON 2.98

27.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 RON 41.61

$6.93 RON 31.64

31.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 RON 7.55

$1.66 RON 7.56

-0.60%

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

$28.4K RON 129.8K

$29.0K RON 132.2K

-1.81%

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

$26.4K RON 120.6K

$30.1K RON 137.3K

-12.17%

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

$140 RON 639

$183 RON 837

-23.68%

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

$8.87 RON 40.49

$8.95 RON 40.86

-0.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.42 RON 52.1

$11.12 RON 50.8

2.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.55 RON 185

$54.4 RON 248

-25.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.36 RON 70.1

$29.49 RON 135

-47.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 RON 32.45

$9.13 RON 41.68

-22.12%

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

$437 RON 1,996

$676 RON 3,088

-35.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,874 RON 31.4K

$14.3K RON 65.4K

-51.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 RON 310

$81.1 RON 370

-16.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.54 RON 176

$44.42 RON 203

-13.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 RON 388

$89.8 RON 410

-5.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 RON 431

$108 RON 494

-12.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 RON 1,717

$662 RON 3,022

-43.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 RON 1,474

$441 RON 2,011

-26.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$690 RON 3,152

$1,352 RON 6,173

-48.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$558 RON 2,549

$849 RON 3,874

-34.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,531 RON 11.6K

$3,777 RON 17.2K

-33.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,061 RON 9,407

$2,231 RON 10.2K

-7.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,147 RON 5,237

$1,408 RON 6,427

-18.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

7.1

-8.45%

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

Last update for Sibiu: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $376 in Sibiu and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 23% 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: $46.00 in Sibiu vs $69.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $230 per month, with Sibiu 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

Sibiu vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sibiu and Bucharest differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,074 vs $1,362 including rent). Sibiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 23% 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: $376 in Sibiu versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,074 per month in Sibiu versus $1,362 in Bucharest – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sibiu runs roughly 0% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,074 in Sibiu versus $1,362 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 27% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.