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: $1,178 in Sibiu versus $1,430 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,732 in Sibiu versus $2,131 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,285 in Sibiu versus $2,833 in Bucharest.

Living in Sibiu costs roughly 18% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sibiu is 14% below, Bucharest is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.74 RON 39.48

$15.63 RON 70.6

-44.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.54 RON 197

$62.3 RON 281

-30.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 RON 35.89

$7.85 RON 35.46

1.27%

Cappuccino

$3.27 RON 14.75

$3.63 RON 16.38

-9.92%

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

$2.16 RON 9.75

$2.48 RON 11.18

-12.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 RON 8.54

$2.36 RON 10.65

-19.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.28

$3.92 RON 17.71

-13.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 RON 17.94

$4.50 RON 20.32

-11.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 RON 6.56

$1.80 RON 8.12

-19.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 RON 5.38

$1.41 RON 6.36

-15.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.55

$1.78 RON 8.04

-18.54%

Eggs

$3.68 RON 16.62

$3.88 RON 17.51

-5.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.52 RON 38.49

$9.61 RON 43.42

-11.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 RON 28.71

$7.16 RON 32.33

-11.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 RON 37.13

$12.25 RON 55.3

-32.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 RON 5.52

$1.31 RON 5.93

-6.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.06

$1.70 RON 7.66

-8.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.87

$1.63 RON 7.35

-6.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.73 RON 12.33

$2.78 RON 12.54

-1.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$0.86 RON 3.89

-18.60%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 RON 3.06

$0.74 RON 3.36

-8.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 RON 4.68

$0.94 RON 4.25

10.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.17

$0.97 RON 4.40

-5.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 RON 28.13

$6.87 RON 31.03

-9.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 RON 35.47

$6.66 RON 30.07

17.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.28

$1.26 RON 5.67

-24.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 RON 6.64

$1.73 RON 7.81

-15.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$1.08 RON 4.86

-26.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.07 RON 81.6

$21.84 RON 98.6

-17.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.52

$0.64 RON 2.88

56.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 RON 4.07

$0.68 RON 3.08

32.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.64 RON 39.01

$6.46 RON 29.20

33.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.85 RON 8.35

$1.98 RON 8.96

-6.57%

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

$30.1K RON 135.9K

$29.4K RON 132.6K

2.44%

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

$26.6K RON 120.0K

$27.8K RON 125.7K

-4.54%

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

$119 RON 540

$204 RON 920

-41.37%

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

$9.48 RON 42.80

$8.53 RON 38.53

11.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.69 RON 57.3

$9.87 RON 44.58

28.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 RON 165

$54.7 RON 247

-33.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.68 RON 66.3

$25.58 RON 116

-42.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 RON 32.15

$8.86 RON 40.02

-19.64%

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

$455 RON 2,055

$663 RON 2,995

-31.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,957 RON 31.4K

$15.3K RON 69.0K

-54.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.6 RON 360

$95.2 RON 430

-16.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.09 RON 154

$40.99 RON 185

-16.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.3 RON 417

$82.7 RON 373

11.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 RON 418

$101 RON 454

-7.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$458 RON 2,071

$710 RON 3,206

-35.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 RON 1,947

$490 RON 2,215

-12.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 RON 3,880

$1,130 RON 5,103

-23.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 RON 2,848

$759 RON 3,428

-16.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,524 RON 11.4K

$3,914 RON 17.7K

-35.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,150 RON 9,709

$2,317 RON 10.5K

-7.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,161 RON 5,245

$1,486 RON 6,711

-21.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.02

6.83

2.78%

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

Last update for Sibiu: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $458 in Sibiu and $710 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 28% 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: $44.00 in Sibiu vs $62.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $206 vs $236 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 21% in total monthly costs ($1,178 vs $1,430 including rent). Sibiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 28% 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: $458 in Sibiu versus $710 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,178 per month in Sibiu versus $1,430 in Bucharest – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sibiu runs roughly 21% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,178 in Sibiu versus $1,430 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 21% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.