Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Vasteras and Bucharest

For one person, living is cheaper in Bucharest: $1,340 a month against $1,818 in Vasteras, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

88

Cost of Living Index in Vasteras
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Vasteras Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Bucharest
Learn more

Bucharest Living Index

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Vasteras

🇸🇪 Sweden

$1,818

/mo nomad

Bucharest

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,340

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,818 in Vasteras versus $1,340 in Bucharest.

Vasteras $1,818
Bucharest $1,340

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,764 in Vasteras versus $2,037 in Bucharest.

Vasteras $2,764
Bucharest $2,037

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,710 in Vasteras versus $2,734 in Bucharest.

Vasteras $3,710
Bucharest $2,734

Living in Vasteras is roughly 36% more expensive than in Bucharest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Vasteras is 35% above, Bucharest is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.70 SEK 136

$14.49 RON 68.6

-5.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 SEK 640

$58.1 RON 275

11.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 SEK 98.2

$7.48 RON 35.40

32.49%

Cappuccino

$4.23 SEK 41.92

$3.44 RON 16.29

22.97%

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

$2.25 SEK 22.27

$2.37 RON 11.22

-5.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 SEK 21.97

$2.30 RON 10.88

-3.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 SEK 70.8

$3.70 RON 17.51

93.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 SEK 70.2

$4.16 RON 19.69

70.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 SEK 13.87

$1.67 RON 7.90

-16.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.00 SEK 29.70

$1.37 RON 6.50

118.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.57 SEK 35.37

$1.72 RON 8.14

107.56%

Eggs

$3.89 SEK 38.55

$3.64 RON 17.22

6.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.11 SEK 120

$9.08 RON 42.98

33.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.74 SEK 126

$6.84 RON 32.35

86.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.30 SEK 221

$12.00 RON 56.8

85.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 SEK 31.59

$1.23 RON 5.80

159.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 SEK 25.05

$1.63 RON 7.73

55.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 SEK 36.37

$1.57 RON 7.45

133.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 SEK 43.46

$2.54 RON 12.01

72.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 SEK 14.55

$0.79 RON 3.75

86.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 SEK 16.80

$0.77 RON 3.66

120.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 SEK 21.62

$0.87 RON 4.13

150.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SEK 14.73

$0.99 RON 4.70

50.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.08 SEK 70.2

$6.31 RON 29.86

12.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.30 SEK 132

$6.20 RON 29.34

114.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 SEK 13.10

$1.19 RON 5.63

10.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SEK 21.54

$1.57 RON 7.45

38.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.32 SEK 32.88

$0.86 RON 4.08

286.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.7 SEK 700

$21.10 RON 99.8

235.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 SEK 34.78

$0.64 RON 3.05

448.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 SEK 24.78

$0.60 RON 2.86

316.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$81.0 SEK 802

$6.43 RON 30.43

1159.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 SEK 16.49

$1.96 RON 9.25

-15.31%

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

$33.2K SEK 328.6K

$29.0K RON 137.2K

14.37%

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

$32.0K SEK 317.5K

$26.6K RON 126.0K

20.27%

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

$183 SEK 1,817

$196 RON 927

-6.38%

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

$22.17 SEK 220

$8.04 RON 38.04

175.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.15 SEK 428

$9.35 RON 44.21

361.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.14 SEK 338

$50.2 RON 238

-32.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.65 SEK 195

$25.33 RON 120

-22.42%

Cinema Ticket

$16.74 SEK 166

$8.15 RON 38.55

105.40%

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

$151 SEK 1,499

$628 RON 2,971

-75.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,881 SEK 48.4K

$14.1K RON 66.6K

-65.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 SEK 1,002

$89.6 RON 424

12.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.24 SEK 399

$38.32 RON 181

5.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 SEK 859

$79.3 RON 375

9.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 SEK 1,323

$90.4 RON 428

47.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 SEK 7,429

$678 RON 3,209

10.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 SEK 5,957

$448 RON 2,121

34.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 SEK 13.5K

$1,083 RON 5,125

26.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$997 SEK 9,880

$725 RON 3,430

37.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,564 SEK 35.3K

$3,751 RON 17.7K

-5.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,404 SEK 23.8K

$2,195 RON 10.4K

9.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,996 SEK 29.7K

$1,329 RON 6,290

125.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.53

6.75

-47.70%

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

Last update for Vasteras: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Vasteras

$601 33.1%

Bucharest

$448 33.5% 25.4% $153

Groceries & Markets

Vasteras

$380 20.9%

Bucharest

$225 16.8% 40.8% $155

Eating Out

Vasteras

$258 14.2%

Bucharest

$225 16.8% 12.7% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Vasteras

$249 13.7%

Bucharest

$213 15.9% 14.2% $35

Clothing & Footwear

Vasteras

$163 9%

Bucharest

$134 10% 17.7% $29

Getting Around

Vasteras

$100 5.5%

Bucharest

$28 2.1% 71.8% $72

Sport & Entertainment

Vasteras

$68 3.7%

Bucharest

$67 5% 1.6% $1.1

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $750 in Vasteras and $678 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vasteras pays 125% 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: $65.0 in Vasteras vs $58.0 in Bucharest for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $380 vs $225 per month, with Bucharest cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇪 Vasteras

🇷🇴 Bucharest

🕒 Local time

00:26 12:26 AM

01:26 1:26 AM

1 h ahead of Vasteras

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

110,877

1,883,425 Capital

💱 Currency

Swedish Krona SEK kr

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

100 SEK = 10.09 USD

100 SEK = 8.98 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

RON, USD, EUR to SEK – Swedish Krona Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇪 Swedish Krona (kr)

Swedish Krona exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 9.91 SEK (1 SEK = 0.101 USD). 1 EUR = 11.14 SEK (100 SEK = 8.98 EUR).

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

USD to SEK in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Vasteras Bucharest 1,810 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Vasteras
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

Vasteras vs Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vasteras and Bucharest differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,818 vs $1,340 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 125% higher in Vasteras, 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: $750 in Vasteras versus $678 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,818 per month in Vasteras versus $1,340 in Bucharest – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 235% less than in Vasteras. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,340 in Bucharest versus $1,818 in Vasteras, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Vasteras. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest 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, Vasteras 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 Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Vasteras. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.