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: $989 in Sighisoara versus $1,331 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,542 in Sighisoara versus $2,166 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,096 in Sighisoara versus $3,000 in Bucharest.

Living in Sighisoara costs roughly 26% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sighisoara 26% lower, Bucharest 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 RON 53.3

$13.87 RON 63.0

-15.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.70 RON 185

$70.0 RON 318

-41.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 RON 36.65

$8.23 RON 37.37

-1.94%

Cappuccino

$2.27 RON 10.32

$3.45 RON 15.65

-34.20%

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

$2.28 RON 10.36

$2.33 RON 10.58

-2.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.85

$2.31 RON 10.51

-25.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.28 RON 10.33

$3.51 RON 15.94

-35.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 RON 13.47

$3.79 RON 17.22

-21.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 RON 7.19

$1.78 RON 8.09

-11.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 RON 5.88

$1.43 RON 6.49

-9.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.49

$1.83 RON 8.31

-9.84%

Eggs

$3.29 RON 14.93

$3.53 RON 16.04

-6.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.92 RON 35.93

$9.61 RON 43.62

-17.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.14 RON 32.43

$6.92 RON 31.39

3.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 RON 35.61

$12.27 RON 55.7

-36.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 RON 5.07

$1.39 RON 6.32

-19.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.07

$1.72 RON 7.79

3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.42

$1.75 RON 7.95

-6.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.32 RON 10.53

$2.40 RON 10.89

-3.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.58

$1.04 RON 4.71

-24.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 RON 4.12

$0.96 RON 4.38

-5.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 RON 4.88

$0.98 RON 4.47

10.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 4.00

$0.91 RON 4.13

-3.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 RON 26.49

$6.35 RON 28.83

-8.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.74 RON 35.13

$6.62 RON 30.05

16.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.12

$1.22 RON 5.56

-7.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 RON 9.02

$2.01 RON 9.11

-1.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.19

$1.12 RON 5.07

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.03 RON 90.9

$19.94 RON 90.5

0.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.53

$0.70 RON 3.20

42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 RON 3.62

$0.66 RON 2.98

21.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.55 RON 43.34

$6.79 RON 30.85

40.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.45

$1.73 RON 7.84

-5.20%

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

$28.5K RON 129.3K

$29.1K RON 132.0K

-2.07%

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

$26.4K RON 119.7K

$30.4K RON 137.9K

-13.23%

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

$66.4 RON 301

$178 RON 807

-62.67%

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

$9.01 RON 40.92

$9.16 RON 41.60

-1.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.03 RON 40.99

$11.22 RON 50.9

-19.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.21 RON 187

$55.2 RON 251

-25.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 RON 87.8

$29.55 RON 134

-34.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.83 RON 35.55

$8.96 RON 40.66

-12.61%

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

$479 RON 2,173

$657 RON 2,984

-27.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K RON 48.0K

$14.5K RON 66.0K

-27.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 RON 313

$81.4 RON 370

-15.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.65 RON 180

$45.88 RON 208

-13.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.4 RON 392

$89.4 RON 406

-3.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.7 RON 448

$109 RON 497

-9.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 RON 1,769

$644 RON 2,925

-39.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 RON 1,327

$444 RON 2,014

-34.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 RON 2,698

$1,343 RON 6,095

-55.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 RON 1,978

$847 RON 3,847

-48.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,908 RON 8,661

$3,941 RON 17.9K

-51.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,365 RON 6,196

$2,248 RON 10.2K

-39.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 RON 2,837

$1,425 RON 6,467

-56.12%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $390 in Sighisoara and $644 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 128% 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: $41.00 in Sighisoara vs $70.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $233 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 35% in total monthly costs ($989 vs $1,331 including rent). Sighisoara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bucharest earns 128% 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: $390 in Sighisoara versus $644 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $989 per month in Sighisoara versus $1,331 in Bucharest – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $989 in Sighisoara versus $1,331 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 35% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.