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: $993 in Targu Mures versus $1,434 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,532 in Targu Mures versus $2,168 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,071 in Targu Mures versus $2,901 in Bucharest.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.12 RON 41.16

$14.25 RON 64.4

-36.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.14 RON 204

$60.5 RON 273

-25.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 RON 39.09

$7.53 RON 33.98

15.01%

Cappuccino

$2.40 RON 10.83

$3.72 RON 16.80

-35.48%

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

$1.58 RON 7.15

$2.41 RON 10.89

-34.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.83

$2.27 RON 10.26

-43.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 RON 8.81

$4.09 RON 18.45

-52.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 RON 11.24

$4.32 RON 19.52

-42.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 RON 6.41

$1.78 RON 8.04

-20.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 RON 5.04

$1.47 RON 6.63

-23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 RON 6.93

$1.81 RON 8.17

-15.47%

Eggs

$2.99 RON 13.49

$3.82 RON 17.24

-21.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.50 RON 38.36

$9.49 RON 42.84

-10.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 RON 28.18

$6.95 RON 31.38

-10.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 RON 47.96

$12.58 RON 56.8

-15.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.65

$1.33 RON 5.99

-22.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.03

$1.65 RON 7.43

-18.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 RON 6.61

$1.61 RON 7.26

-9.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 RON 8.57

$2.69 RON 12.15

-29.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.42

$0.88 RON 3.97

-13.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 RON 2.54

$0.76 RON 3.43

-26.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.86 RON 3.90

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 RON 3.39

$0.98 RON 4.43

-23.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.22 RON 28.10

$6.92 RON 31.24

-10.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 RON 35.88

$6.77 RON 30.56

17.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 RON 5.06

$1.29 RON 5.82

-13.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RON 7.42

$1.73 RON 7.82

-5.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 RON 2.88

$0.85 RON 3.83

-24.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.06 RON 122

$22.35 RON 101

21.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.07

$0.65 RON 2.93

38.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 RON 4.10

$0.69 RON 3.10

31.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.08 RON 36.46

$6.84 RON 30.86

18.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.87 RON 8.43

$2.03 RON 9.18

-7.88%

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

$29.8K RON 134.6K

$29.4K RON 132.8K

1.31%

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

$26.6K RON 120.2K

$27.6K RON 124.4K

-3.40%

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

$106 RON 477

$198 RON 894

-46.59%

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

$9.81 RON 44.29

$8.71 RON 39.34

12.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.36 RON 37.73

$10.07 RON 45.47

-16.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.43 RON 196

$54.8 RON 247

-20.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 RON 87.3

$25.74 RON 116

-24.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.76 RON 30.53

$8.74 RON 39.46

-22.65%

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

$1,374 RON 6,203

$648 RON 2,924

112.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K RON 68.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 RON 254

$95.7 RON 432

-41.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.54 RON 142

$40.35 RON 182

-21.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 RON 365

$81.2 RON 366

-0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.7 RON 369

$101 RON 457

-19.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 RON 2,004

$702 RON 3,171

-36.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 RON 1,386

$487 RON 2,198

-36.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 RON 3,010

$1,143 RON 5,162

-41.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 RON 2,281

$754 RON 3,405

-33.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,388 RON 10.8K

$4,032 RON 18.2K

-40.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,511 RON 6,820

$2,332 RON 10.5K

-35.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,042 RON 4,704

$1,535 RON 6,931

-32.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.47

6.82

9.53%

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

Last update for Targu Mures: September 5, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $444 in Targu Mures and $702 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 47% 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: $45.00 in Targu Mures vs $60.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $235 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 44% in total monthly costs ($993 vs $1,434 including rent). Targu Mures is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 47% 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: $444 in Targu Mures versus $702 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $993 per month in Targu Mures versus $1,434 in Bucharest – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Targu Mures runs roughly 21% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $993 in Targu Mures versus $1,434 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 44% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.