Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Swidnica and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Swidnica: $1,231 a month against $1,337 in Bucharest, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Swidnica
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Swidnica Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index

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Swidnica

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,231

/mo nomad

Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,337

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Swidnica and in Bucharest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Swidnica and in Bucharest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,231 in Swidnica versus $1,337 in Bucharest.

Swidnica $1,231
Bucharest $1,337

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,905 in Swidnica versus $2,029 in Bucharest.

Swidnica $1,905
Bucharest $2,029

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,578 in Swidnica versus $2,721 in Bucharest.

Swidnica $2,578
Bucharest $2,721

Living in Swidnica costs roughly 8% less than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Swidnica 9% lower, Bucharest 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.85 zł 30.51

$14.45 RON 68.4

-45.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.35 zł 98.5

$58.1 RON 275

-56.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 zł 27.36

$7.53 RON 35.65

-6.51%

Cappuccino

$3.01 zł 11.69

$3.45 RON 16.33

-12.75%

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

$2.11 zł 8.21

$2.46 RON 11.65

-14.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 zł 7.42

$2.23 RON 10.54

-14.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.58 zł 10.01

$3.76 RON 17.78

-31.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 zł 19.64

$4.19 RON 19.84

20.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 zł 4.21

$1.62 RON 7.67

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 zł 6.04

$1.30 RON 6.13

20.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 zł 5.68

$1.70 RON 8.05

-14.12%

Eggs

$4.00 zł 15.53

$3.79 RON 17.93

5.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 zł 35.26

$8.86 RON 41.90

2.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 zł 25.41

$6.90 RON 32.67

-5.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.87 zł 46.11

$12.14 RON 57.4

-2.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 zł 5.07

$1.30 RON 6.17

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 zł 6.07

$1.60 RON 7.55

-2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 zł 6.45

$1.57 RON 7.42

5.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.45 zł 13.40

$2.68 RON 12.67

28.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 zł 3.59

$0.81 RON 3.82

13.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 zł 3.03

$0.79 RON 3.73

-1.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 zł 5.64

$0.91 RON 4.30

59.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 zł 2.76

$0.97 RON 4.58

-26.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.19 zł 24.04

$6.41 RON 30.34

-3.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.59 zł 29.48

$6.18 RON 29.24

22.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 zł 4.45

$1.23 RON 5.83

-6.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 zł 6.83

$1.67 RON 7.91

5.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 zł 4.05

$0.87 RON 4.10

19.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.08 zł 117

$20.98 RON 99.3

43.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 zł 9.95

$0.66 RON 3.10

287.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 zł 3.54

$0.60 RON 2.85

51.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.30 zł 40.01

$6.19 RON 29.28

66.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.67 zł 6.48

$1.93 RON 9.15

-13.47%

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

$29.8K zł 115.9K

$28.7K RON 135.9K

3.86%

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

$29.0K zł 112.6K

$26.3K RON 124.6K

10.05%

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

$205 zł 796

$196 RON 926

4.71%

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

$9.51 zł 36.94

$8.49 RON 40.19

12.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.82 zł 49.82

$9.05 RON 42.84

41.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.74 zł 147

$49.54 RON 234

-23.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.91 zł 85.1

$25.03 RON 118

-12.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.05 zł 27.40

$8.24 RON 39.01

-14.44%

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

$480 zł 1,865

$636 RON 3,007

-24.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K zł 46.7K

$14.6K RON 69.0K

-17.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.1 zł 362

$88.5 RON 419

5.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.07 zł 152

$38.77 RON 183

0.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.4 zł 363

$78.8 RON 373

18.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 zł 421

$90.6 RON 428

19.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 zł 2,388

$695 RON 3,288

-11.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 zł 1,455

$446 RON 2,109

-15.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 zł 3,800

$1,084 RON 5,130

-9.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 zł 3,209

$712 RON 3,368

16.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,946 zł 11.4K

$3,797 RON 18.0K

-22.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,252 zł 8,749

$2,202 RON 10.4K

2.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,026 zł 3,984

$1,354 RON 6,406

-24.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

3.70%

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

Last update for Swidnica: October 19, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Swidnica

$374 30.4%

Bucharest

$446 33.3% 19% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Swidnica

$227 18.5%

Bucharest

$213 15.9% 6.2% $14

Groceries & Markets

Swidnica

$227 18.4%

Bucharest

$225 16.9% 0.5% $1.1

Eating Out

Swidnica

$159 12.9%

Bucharest

$226 16.9% 41.7% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Swidnica

$150 12.2%

Bucharest

$133 10% 11.1% $17

Sport & Entertainment

Swidnica

$52 4.2%

Bucharest

$66 4.9% 27.3% $14

Getting Around

Swidnica

$41 3.4%

Bucharest

$28 2.1% 32% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Swidnica and $695 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 32% 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: $25.00 in Swidnica vs $58.0 in Bucharest. Groceries flip the comparison at $227 vs $225, with Bucharest cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇵🇱 Swidnica

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🕒 Local time

20:54 8:54 PM

21:54 9:54 PM

1 h ahead of Swidnica

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

55,800

1,883,425 Capital

💱 Currency

Polish Złoty PLN zł

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 PLN = 0.257 USD

1 PLN = 0.229 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to PLN – Polish Złoty Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇱 Polish Złoty (zł)

Polish Złoty exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3.89 PLN (1 PLN = 0.257 USD). 1 EUR = 4.37 PLN (1 PLN = 0.229 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

USD to PLN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Swidnica Bucharest 1,010 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Swidnica
Bucharest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Swidnica vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Swidnica and Bucharest differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,231 vs $1,337 including rent). Swidnica is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 32% 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: $615 in Swidnica versus $695 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,231 per month in Swidnica versus $1,337 in Bucharest – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Swidnica runs roughly 43% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,231 in Swidnica versus $1,337 in Bucharest, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Swidnica but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Swidnica 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, Swidnica 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 Swidnica gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.