Cost of Living Comparison Between Sighisoara and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Sighisoara and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $983 in Sighisoara versus $1,361 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,516 in Sighisoara versus $2,177 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,049 in Sighisoara versus $2,994 in Bucharest.

Living in Sighisoara costs roughly 28% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sighisoara is 26% below, Bucharest is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.74 RON 53.8

$13.58 RON 62.3

-13.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.89 RON 183

$69.3 RON 318

-42.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 RON 36.46

$8.20 RON 37.61

-3.05%

Cappuccino

$2.32 RON 10.64

$3.27 RON 15.01

-29.05%

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

$2.36 RON 10.82

$2.31 RON 10.59

2.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 RON 8.04

$2.33 RON 10.69

-24.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 RON 10.43

$3.36 RON 15.41

-32.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 RON 13.82

$3.84 RON 17.62

-21.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 RON 7.56

$1.78 RON 8.14

-7.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 RON 5.96

$1.36 RON 6.25

-4.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.56

$1.93 RON 8.86

-14.51%

Eggs

$3.38 RON 15.48

$3.62 RON 16.61

-6.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 RON 37.88

$9.49 RON 43.50

-12.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.24 RON 33.20

$6.86 RON 31.44

5.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 RON 36.76

$12.27 RON 56.2

-34.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 RON 5.35

$1.39 RON 6.38

-15.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.80

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.23

$1.76 RON 8.05

-10.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 11.01

$2.52 RON 11.53

-4.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.58

$1.04 RON 4.77

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.25

$1.01 RON 4.64

-7.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 RON 4.94

$1.00 RON 4.57

8.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.80 RON 26.61

$6.32 RON 28.96

-8.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.50 RON 34.40

$6.35 RON 29.13

18.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 RON 5.07

$1.28 RON 5.85

-13.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 RON 9.42

$2.00 RON 9.17

2.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 RON 3.03

$1.12 RON 5.12

-41.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.83 RON 90.9

$19.43 RON 89.1

2.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 RON 4.63

$0.66 RON 3.03

53.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 RON 3.74

$0.60 RON 2.77

36.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.57 RON 43.89

$6.81 RON 31.20

40.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 RON 7.71

$1.72 RON 7.89

-2.33%

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

$27.5K RON 126.0K

$29.0K RON 133.2K

-5.37%

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

$26.9K RON 123.5K

$29.9K RON 137.1K

-9.96%

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

$66.2 RON 304

$179 RON 819

-62.93%

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

$8.73 RON 40.04

$8.77 RON 40.20

-0.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.12 RON 41.81

$11.15 RON 51.1

-18.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.58 RON 191

$54.8 RON 251

-24.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.24 RON 88.2

$29.28 RON 134

-34.29%

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 RON 37.16

$9.41 RON 43.16

-13.92%

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

$486 RON 2,230

$668 RON 3,061

-27.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K RON 48.8K

$14.4K RON 66.0K

-26.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.7 RON 320

$80.6 RON 370

-13.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.18 RON 184

$44.84 RON 206

-10.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.7 RON 384

$89.4 RON 410

-6.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 465

$109 RON 501

-7.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 RON 1,752

$657 RON 3,015

-41.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 RON 1,353

$432 RON 1,983

-31.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 RON 2,685

$1,334 RON 6,117

-56.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 RON 2,008

$857 RON 3,929

-48.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,934 RON 8,870

$3,890 RON 17.8K

-50.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,416 RON 6,490

$2,171 RON 9,953

-34.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$618 RON 2,834

$1,436 RON 6,583

-56.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

7.1

-17.61%

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

Last update for Sighisoara: July 20, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $382 in Sighisoara and $657 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 132% 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 Sighisoara vs $69.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $234 per month, with Sighisoara 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

Sighisoara vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sighisoara and Bucharest differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($983 vs $1,361 including rent). Sighisoara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 132% 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: $382 in Sighisoara versus $657 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $983 per month in Sighisoara versus $1,361 in Bucharest – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $983 in Sighisoara versus $1,361 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sighisoara but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Sighisoara 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, Sighisoara 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 Sighisoara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.