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: $994 in Sighisoara versus $1,434 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,604 in Sighisoara versus $2,168 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,214 in Sighisoara versus $2,901 in Bucharest.

Living in Sighisoara costs roughly 31% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sighisoara is 28% below, Bucharest is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.16 RON 50.4

$14.25 RON 64.4

-21.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.19 RON 177

$60.5 RON 273

-35.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.63 RON 38.97

$7.53 RON 33.98

14.61%

Cappuccino

$2.27 RON 10.27

$3.72 RON 16.80

-38.98%

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

$2.16 RON 9.73

$2.41 RON 10.89

-10.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 RON 11.24

$2.27 RON 10.26

9.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 RON 10.05

$4.09 RON 18.45

-45.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 RON 12.84

$4.32 RON 19.52

-34.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.88

$1.78 RON 8.04

-14.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 RON 5.81

$1.47 RON 6.63

-12.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.10

$1.81 RON 8.17

-13.26%

Eggs

$3.53 RON 15.92

$3.82 RON 17.24

-7.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.78 RON 35.13

$9.49 RON 42.84

-18.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.64 RON 34.48

$6.95 RON 31.38

9.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.69 RON 34.70

$12.58 RON 56.8

-38.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.08

$1.33 RON 5.99

-15.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.05

$1.65 RON 7.43

7.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.31

$1.61 RON 7.26

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 RON 11.37

$2.69 RON 12.15

-6.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.61

$0.88 RON 3.97

-9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.69

$0.76 RON 3.43

36.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 RON 4.54

$0.86 RON 3.90

17.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 RON 4.86

$0.98 RON 4.43

10.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.48 RON 24.73

$6.92 RON 31.24

-20.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.55 RON 34.10

$6.77 RON 30.56

11.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 RON 5.80

$1.29 RON 5.82

-0.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.38

$1.73 RON 7.82

7.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 RON 2.88

$0.85 RON 3.83

-24.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.35 RON 101

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 RON 4.12

$0.65 RON 2.93

40.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 RON 4.61

$0.69 RON 3.10

47.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 RON 40.80

$6.84 RON 30.86

32.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$2.03 RON 9.18

-14.29%

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

$29.9K RON 135.2K

$29.4K RON 132.8K

1.79%

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

$25.8K RON 116.3K

$27.6K RON 124.4K

-6.51%

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

$63.4 RON 286

$198 RON 894

-67.97%

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

$8.73 RON 39.40

$8.71 RON 39.34

0.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.77 RON 39.58

$10.07 RON 45.47

-12.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.5 RON 250

$54.8 RON 247

1.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.74 RON 116

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 RON 45.83

$8.74 RON 39.46

16.13%

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

$616 RON 2,781

$648 RON 2,924

-4.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K RON 45.3K

$15.2K RON 68.5K

-33.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.9 RON 429

$95.7 RON 432

-0.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.35 RON 223

$40.35 RON 182

22.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 RON 484

$81.2 RON 366

31.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 RON 514

$101 RON 457

12.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 RON 1,529

$702 RON 3,171

-51.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 RON 1,216

$487 RON 2,198

-44.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,547

$1,143 RON 5,162

-50.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$510 RON 2,303

$754 RON 3,405

-32.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,677 RON 7,570

$4,032 RON 18.2K

-58.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,128 RON 5,090

$2,332 RON 10.5K

-51.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$616 RON 2,782

$1,535 RON 6,931

-59.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.82

-0.29%

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

Last update for Sighisoara: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $339 in Sighisoara and $702 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 149% 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: $39.00 in Sighisoara vs $60.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $235 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 44% in total monthly costs ($994 vs $1,434 including rent). Sighisoara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 149% 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: $339 in Sighisoara versus $702 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Bucharest. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $994 per month in Sighisoara versus $1,434 in Bucharest – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $994 in Sighisoara versus $1,434 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 44% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.