Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Szczecin and Bucharest

For one person, living costs are similar in Szczecin and in Bucharest: $1,331 and $1,351 a month, rent and utilities included.

65

Cost of Living Index in Szczecin
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Szczecin Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
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Bucharest Living Index

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Szczecin

🇵🇱 Poland

$1,331

/mo nomad

Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,351

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Szczecin 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 Szczecin and in Bucharest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,331 in Szczecin versus $1,351 in Bucharest.

Szczecin $1,331
Bucharest $1,351

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,974 in Szczecin versus $2,033 in Bucharest.

Szczecin $1,974
Bucharest $2,033

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,618 in Szczecin versus $2,715 in Bucharest.

Szczecin $2,618
Bucharest $2,715

Living in Szczecin costs roughly 1% less than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.71 zł 34.04

$14.46 RON 68.4

-39.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.79 zł 179

$57.7 RON 273

-20.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.32 zł 32.50

$7.50 RON 35.46

10.93%

Cappuccino

$2.93 zł 11.44

$3.43 RON 16.20

-14.58%

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

$1.80 zł 7.05

$2.46 RON 11.63

-26.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 zł 5.52

$2.33 RON 11.01

-39.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 zł 11.64

$3.80 RON 17.97

-21.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.09 zł 12.09

$4.10 RON 19.41

-24.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 zł 3.61

$1.65 RON 7.79

-44.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 zł 4.90

$1.35 RON 6.39

-7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 zł 4.16

$1.78 RON 8.42

-40.45%

Eggs

$3.24 zł 12.68

$3.66 RON 17.33

-11.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.39 zł 36.70

$8.57 RON 40.54

9.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.25 zł 24.43

$6.80 RON 32.17

-8.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.00 zł 50.8

$11.72 RON 55.4

10.92%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 zł 3.77

$1.29 RON 6.11

-25.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 zł 6.39

$1.56 RON 7.37

5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 zł 6.19

$1.54 RON 7.28

2.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.34 zł 9.14

$2.48 RON 11.75

-5.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 zł 3.32

$0.83 RON 3.92

2.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 zł 4.20

$0.80 RON 3.77

33.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 zł 4.36

$0.84 RON 3.98

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 zł 2.33

$0.93 RON 4.39

-36.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.28 zł 20.64

$6.44 RON 30.45

-18.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.49 zł 25.38

$6.32 RON 29.91

2.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 zł 4.17

$1.26 RON 5.94

-15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 zł 5.70

$1.60 RON 7.59

-8.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 zł 2.90

$0.81 RON 3.85

-8.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.11 zł 98.2

$21.13 RON 99.9

18.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 zł 7.69

$0.60 RON 2.86

228.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 zł 3.67

$0.61 RON 2.91

54.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.96 zł 50.7

$6.17 RON 29.19

110.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 zł 6.44

$1.96 RON 9.27

-15.82%

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

$30.2K zł 118.0K

$28.1K RON 133.1K

7.28%

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

$28.4K zł 111.2K

$26.3K RON 124.3K

8.20%

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

$243 zł 949

$197 RON 931

23.29%

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

$12.39 zł 48.42

$8.34 RON 39.44

48.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.74 zł 73.3

$9.19 RON 43.47

103.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.15 zł 118

$49.87 RON 236

-39.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$49.87 zł 195

$24.99 RON 118

99.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 zł 25.09

$8.46 RON 40.01

-24.11%

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

$329 zł 1,287

$639 RON 3,023

-48.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,675 zł 30.0K

$14.4K RON 68.1K

-46.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 zł 273

$90.6 RON 429

-22.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.71 zł 140

$38.05 RON 180

-6.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 zł 314

$79.7 RON 377

0.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 zł 350

$93.2 RON 441

-3.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 zł 2,407

$673 RON 3,184

-8.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$485 zł 1,894

$449 RON 2,123

7.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 zł 4,506

$1,098 RON 5,195

4.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$815 zł 3,184

$729 RON 3,448

11.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,349 zł 13.1K

$3,740 RON 17.7K

-10.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 zł 9,142

$2,189 RON 10.4K

6.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,622 zł 6,339

$1,323 RON 6,259

22.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

6.74

1.19%

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

Last update for Szczecin: October 3, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Szczecin

$485 36.4%

Bucharest

$449 33.5% 7.4% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Szczecin

$274 20.6%

Bucharest

$214 16% 21.7% $59

Groceries & Markets

Szczecin

$208 15.6%

Bucharest

$222 16.5% 6.8% $14

Eating Out

Szczecin

$164 12.3%

Bucharest

$226 16.8% 37.9% $62

Clothing & Footwear

Szczecin

$124 9.3%

Bucharest

$136 10.1% 9.5% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Szczecin

$43 3.2%

Bucharest

$67 5% 55.4% $24

Getting Around

Szczecin

$35 2.6%

Bucharest

$28 2.1% 19.2% $6.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Szczecin and $673 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Szczecin pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Szczecin vs $58.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $222 per month, with Szczecin cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇱 Szczecin

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🕒 Local time

07:45 7:45 AM

08:45 8:45 AM

1 h ahead of Szczecin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

387,700

1,883,425 Capital

💱 Currency

Polish Złoty PLN zł

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 PLN = 0.256 USD

1 PLN = 0.228 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.189 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3.91 PLN (1 PLN = 0.256 USD). 1 EUR = 4.38 PLN (1 PLN = 0.228 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.3 RON (1 RON = 0.189 EUR).

USD to PLN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Szczecin Bucharest 1,300 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Szczecin
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

Szczecin vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Szczecin and Bucharest differ by about 2% in total monthly costs ($1,331 vs $1,351 including rent). Szczecin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Szczecin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Szczecin versus $673 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,331 per month in Szczecin versus $1,351 in Bucharest – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Szczecin runs roughly 19% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,331 in Szczecin versus $1,351 in Bucharest, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Szczecin but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Szczecin 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, Szczecin 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 Szczecin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.