Cost of Living Comparison Between Targu Mures and Bucharest Cost of Living Comparison Between Targu Mures and Bucharest

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,077 in Targu Mures versus $1,355 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,554 in Targu Mures versus $2,137 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,031 in Targu Mures versus $2,918 in Bucharest.

Living in Targu Mures costs roughly 21% less than in Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Targu Mures is 20% below, Bucharest is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.54 RON 37.04

$13.58 RON 58.9

-37.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.00 RON 178

$69.5 RON 301

-40.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.00 RON 39.05

$8.03 RON 34.84

12.08%

Cappuccino

$2.30 RON 9.97

$3.42 RON 14.86

-32.75%

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

$1.32 RON 5.71

$2.33 RON 10.13

-43.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 RON 5.00

$2.32 RON 10.09

-50.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 RON 9.24

$3.51 RON 15.21

-39.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 RON 12.26

$3.82 RON 16.60

-25.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 6.75

$1.71 RON 7.41

-9.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.21 RON 5.25

$1.41 RON 6.13

-14.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.12

$1.83 RON 7.95

-10.38%

Eggs

$3.07 RON 13.31

$3.52 RON 15.29

-12.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.82 RON 38.29

$9.42 RON 40.90

-6.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.21 RON 31.27

$7.09 RON 30.77

1.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 RON 55.1

$12.28 RON 53.3

3.34%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.25

$1.34 RON 5.82

-26.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 RON 5.70

$1.72 RON 7.47

-23.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 RON 6.62

$1.77 RON 7.67

-13.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 RON 8.45

$2.39 RON 10.37

-18.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.04

$1.04 RON 4.52

-10.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.00

$0.98 RON 4.25

-6.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 RON 3.45

$0.93 RON 4.04

-15.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.48

$0.96 RON 4.18

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 RON 27.26

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 RON 35.20

$7.24 RON 31.42

12.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.66

$1.24 RON 5.37

-13.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.14

$2.02 RON 8.76

-18.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 RON 2.43

$1.18 RON 5.11

-52.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.85 RON 64.5

$19.62 RON 85.2

-24.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.16

$0.66 RON 2.88

45.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 RON 3.17

$0.60 RON 2.62

21.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 RON 31.45

$7.08 RON 30.74

2.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.00

$1.67 RON 7.23

-3.59%

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

$28.1K RON 121.9K

$28.4K RON 123.3K

-1.08%

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

$28.2K RON 122.4K

$30.5K RON 132.2K

-7.41%

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

$172 RON 745

$182 RON 791

-5.74%

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

$8.68 RON 37.67

$8.93 RON 38.74

-2.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.64 RON 41.84

$11.15 RON 48.37

-13.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.95 RON 204

$54.3 RON 235

-13.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.68 RON 81.1

$28.96 RON 126

-35.50%

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 RON 25.72

$9.19 RON 39.89

-35.47%

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

$1,387 RON 6,019

$662 RON 2,873

109.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,872 RON 29.8K

$14.4K RON 62.7K

-52.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 RON 308

$79.5 RON 345

-10.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.67 RON 137

$45.22 RON 196

-29.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 RON 323

$91.1 RON 395

-18.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.9 RON 355

$110 RON 477

-25.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 RON 1,930

$661 RON 2,869

-32.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 RON 1,354

$429 RON 1,863

-27.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$567 RON 2,459

$1,352 RON 5,869

-58.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 RON 1,788

$851 RON 3,691

-51.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,379 RON 10.3K

$4,026 RON 17.5K

-40.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,556 RON 6,754

$2,284 RON 9,911

-31.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,123 RON 4,872

$1,522 RON 6,605

-26.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.17

7.1

15.07%

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

Last update for Targu Mures: April 21, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Targu Mures and $661 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 36% 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 in Targu Mures vs $69 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $234 per month, with Targu Mures 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

Targu Mures vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Targu Mures and Bucharest differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,077 vs $1,355 including rent). Targu Mures is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bucharest earns 36% 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: $445 in Targu Mures versus $661 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,077 per month in Targu Mures versus $1,355 in Bucharest – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Targu Mures runs roughly 32% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,077 in Targu Mures versus $1,355 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Targu Mures but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Targu Mures 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, Targu Mures 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 Targu Mures gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.