Cost of Living Comparison Between Sighetu Marmatiei and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Sighetu Marmatiei and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $986 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $1,355 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,435 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $2,137 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,885 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $2,918 in Bucharest.

Living in Sighetu Marmatiei costs roughly 27% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sighetu Marmatiei is 26% below, Bucharest is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.93 RON 29.99

$13.58 RON 58.8

-48.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.76 RON 98.5

$69.5 RON 301

-67.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.53 RON 28.27

$8.03 RON 34.76

-18.68%

Cappuccino

$1.90 RON 8.23

$3.42 RON 14.82

-44.44%

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

$2.00 RON 8.68

$2.33 RON 10.11

-14.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 RON 6.88

$2.32 RON 10.06

-31.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 RON 8.84

$3.51 RON 15.18

-41.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 RON 13.08

$3.82 RON 16.56

-20.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 RON 5.37

$1.71 RON 7.40

-27.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 RON 4.95

$1.41 RON 6.12

-19.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 RON 8.54

$1.83 RON 7.94

7.65%

Eggs

$2.85 RON 12.35

$3.52 RON 15.26

-19.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 RON 36.25

$9.42 RON 40.81

-11.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 RON 29.82

$7.09 RON 30.70

-2.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.42 RON 49.47

$12.28 RON 53.2

-7.00%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.21

$1.34 RON 5.81

-27.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 6.82

$1.72 RON 7.46

-8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 RON 6.22

$1.77 RON 7.65

-18.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 RON 8.38

$2.39 RON 10.34

-18.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.30

$1.04 RON 4.51

-26.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 RON 4.76

$0.98 RON 4.24

12.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 RON 4.37

$0.93 RON 4.03

8.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 RON 2.73

$0.96 RON 4.18

-34.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.68 RON 24.59

$6.28 RON 27.20

-9.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.75 RON 29.24

$7.24 RON 31.35

-6.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.07

$1.24 RON 5.36

-24.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 RON 6.67

$2.02 RON 8.74

-23.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.05

$1.18 RON 5.10

-39.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.03 RON 86.7

$19.62 RON 85.0

2.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 RON 4.89

$0.66 RON 2.87

71.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.53

$0.60 RON 2.61

35.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 RON 29.29

$7.08 RON 30.67

-4.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 6.94

$1.67 RON 7.21

-4.19%

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

$28.5K RON 123.5K

$28.4K RON 123.0K

0.42%

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

$26.2K RON 113.3K

$30.5K RON 131.9K

-14.12%

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

$160 RON 693

$182 RON 789

-12.17%

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

$8.02 RON 34.73

$8.93 RON 38.65

-10.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.78 RON 42.34

$11.15 RON 48.26

-12.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.81 RON 181

$54.3 RON 235

-22.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.84 RON 81.6

$28.96 RON 125

-34.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.50 RON 19.51

$9.19 RON 39.80

-51.03%

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

$308 RON 1,334

$662 RON 2,866

-53.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K RON 43.3K

$14.4K RON 62.5K

-30.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.46 RON 162

$79.5 RON 344

-52.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.50 RON 132

$45.22 RON 196

-32.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 RON 315

$91.1 RON 395

-20.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 RON 317

$110 RON 476

-33.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 RON 1,700

$661 RON 2,862

-40.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 RON 1,267

$429 RON 1,859

-31.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 RON 2,551

$1,352 RON 5,856

-56.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 RON 1,882

$851 RON 3,683

-48.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,054 RON 8,894

$4,026 RON 17.4K

-48.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,579 RON 6,839

$2,284 RON 9,888

-30.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$574 RON 2,485

$1,522 RON 6,589

-62.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.11

7.1

0.14%

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

Last update for Sighetu Marmatiei: April 21, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $393 in Sighetu Marmatiei and $661 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 165% 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: $23 in Sighetu Marmatiei vs $69 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $234 per month, with Sighetu Marmatiei 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

Sighetu Marmatiei vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sighetu Marmatiei and Bucharest differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($986 vs $1,355 including rent). Sighetu Marmatiei is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bucharest earns 165% 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: $393 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $661 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $986 per month in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $1,355 in Bucharest – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $986 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $1,355 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sighetu Marmatiei but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Sighetu Marmatiei 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, Sighetu Marmatiei 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 Sighetu Marmatiei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.