Cost of Living

Bucharest, Romania

Live cost-of-living data for Bucharest — rent, groceries, transport, healthcare and more, sourced and cross-checked by AI and refreshed regularly.

CheapestNew York = 100
20/ 10080% cheaper than New York
0% rent since Jul 2026
$1,467/mo
Median Income
71/100
Safety
10%
Income Tax
humid continental
Climate

Cost Breakdown by Category

Each score runs 0–100, where higher means pricier. Representative prices shown per category.

Housing
25/100
1-Bed Apartment (City Center)$663/month
1-Bed Apartment (Outside Center)$445/month
3-Bed Apartment (City Center)$1,225/month
Food & Groceries
35/100
Milk (1 liter)$1.3/liter
Bread (500g loaf)$1.8/loaf
Rice (1 kg)$1.5/kg
Transportation
20/100
Monthly Transit Pass$20/month
One-Way Ticket$0.7/trip
Taxi (1 km)$0.7/km
Utilities
15/100
Basic (Elec, Heat, Water, Garbage) 85m2$204/month
Internet (60+ Mbps)$25/month
Mobile Plan (10GB+)$18/month
Healthcare
40/100
Doctor Visit (15 min)$35/visit
Dentist Visit$55/visit
Prescription Medicine (avg)$8/course
Education
35/100
Preschool/Kindergarten (monthly)$400/month
International Primary School (yearly)$8,000/year
Language Course (12 weeks)$300/course
Entertainment
30/100
Cinema Ticket (1 seat)$8/ticket
Theater Ticket$25/ticket
Museum Entry$10/ticket
Clothing
40/100
Jeans (Levi's or similar)$50/pair
Summer Dress (Zara/H&M)$35/piece
Running Shoes (Nike/Adidas)$75/pair
Personal Care
30/100
Haircut (Men)$15/cut
Haircut (Women)$30/cut
Shampoo (400ml)$3.5/bottle
Dining Out
30/100
Meal at Inexpensive Restaurant$11/meal
Meal for 2 (Mid-Range)$45/meal
McMeal at McDonald's$7.5/meal
Childcare
35/100
Full-Day Daycare (monthly)$550/month
Babysitter (per hour)$10/hour
Pack of Diapers (60 ct)$14/pack
Fitness & Sports
25/100
Gym Membership (monthly)$35/month
Tennis Court Rent (1 hr)$15/hour
Swimming Pool (adult entry)$6/entry

Digital Nomad Profile

175 Mbps
Internet Speed
$220
Coworking/Month
excellent
Café WiFi
moderate
English Level
growing
Nomad Community
50/100
Walkability

Best neighborhoods: Floreasca, Dorobanți, Herastrau

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bucharest cheap to live in?

Bucharest has a cost of living index of 20/100, where New York = 100. It is 80% cheaper than New York. A single person can live comfortably for approximately $720–$1,008 per month.

How much does rent cost in Bucharest?

A 1-bedroom apartment in the city center of Bucharest costs approximately $663/month. Outside the center, expect to pay around $445/month.

Is Bucharest good for digital nomads?

Bucharest has a growing digital nomad community. Average internet speed is 175 Mbps, café wifi reliability is excellent, and coworking spaces run about $220/month. English proficiency is moderate.

What is the average salary in Bucharest?

The median net monthly salary in Bucharest is approximately $1,467 USD. The income tax rate is around 10%.

How does Bucharest compare to New York for cost of living?

Bucharest (cost index 20) is 80% cheaper than New York (cost index 100). You could save roughly $2,000/month by moving from New York to Bucharest.

Compare Bucharest with…

Popular head-to-heads — see exactly where Bucharest wins or loses.

Cities that cost about the same as Bucharest

Same spending tier, different part of the world — the head-to-heads people actually weigh when relocating.

Compare Bucharest with another city

See exactly how Bucharest stacks up against your current city or next destination.

Free to start · No credit card needed