Cost of living in Romania
Summary of cost of living in Romania
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: 11,105 lei
- Single person estimated monthly costs: 4,685 lei
- Romania is the 2nd cheapest country in Eastern Europe (9 out of 10)
- Cost of living in Romania is cheaper than in 88% of countries in the World (60 out of 68)
Change the currency:
| Food | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | 52 lei | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | 30 lei | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | 15 lei | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | 8 lei | ||
| 12 eggs, large | 15 lei | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | 9 lei | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | 21 lei | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | 4.99 lei | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | 3.89 lei | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | 4.30 lei | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | 33 lei | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | 8 lei | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | 3.55 lei | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | 3,130 lei | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | 2,099 lei | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | 660 lei | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | 1,873 lei | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | 1,310 lei | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | 416 lei | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | 38 lei | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | 1,325 lei | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | 609 lei | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | 44 lei | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | 38 lei | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | 276 lei | ||
| 1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | 176 lei | ||
| 1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | 341 lei | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | 382 lei | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | 90,194 lei | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | 7 lei | ||
| Monthly ticket public transport | 103 lei | ||
| Personal Care | |||
| Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | 36 lei | ||
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | 30 lei | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | 206 lei | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | 25 lei | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | 19 lei | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | 23 lei | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | 8 lei | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | 14 lei | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | 46 lei | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | 124 lei | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | 64 lei | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | 134 lei | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | 207 lei | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | 30 lei | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | 11 lei | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | 10 lei | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | 3,500 lei | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | 0.37 lei | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | 170 lei | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | 24 lei | ||
Moving to Romania with your children?
International Schools in Romania
Map of Cost of Living in Romania
This map shows only the top cities in Romania. We also have on this page a list of all the cities available in Expatistan:
List of all the cities available in Expatistan
The color of each marker corresponds with the cost of living in the city red markers show more expensive cities green ones show cheaper cities
Moving the mouse on top of a city will show its name and the Cost of Living Index of that city.
What is the Cost of Living Index? To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a
central reference city (that happens to be Prague).
Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the
database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.
Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Cost of Living Ranking in Romania
(top cities by data quality)
| Ranking | City | Price Index * |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Bucharest | 67 |
| 2nd | Timisoara | 58 |
| 3rd | Râmnicu Vâlcea | 53 |
| 4th | Arad | 53 |
| 5th | Galaţi | 51 |
| 6th | Craiova | 51 |
| 7th | Târgu Mureş | 46 |
Price Index:
To calculate each city's Price Index value, we start by assigning a value of 100 to a central reference city (that happens to be Prague). Once the reference point has been established, the Price Index value of every other city in the database is calculated by comparing their cost of living to the cost of living in Prague.Therefore, if a city has a Price Index of 134, that means that living there is 34% more expensive than living in Prague.
Are you moving to Romania? Do you know how much money you will need there to maintain your current standard of living?
Find out what is the real equivalent in Romania of your current salary and improve your chances of a happy relocation.
Get a salary calculation for:
List of all cities available in Romania
Recent Comparisons
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 8% cheaper than in Warsaw
- Cost of living in Bucharest is about the same as in Zanesville, Ohio
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 24% cheaper than in Mexico City
- Cost of living in Craiova is 30% cheaper than in Goiânia
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 47% cheaper than in Birmingham
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 14% cheaper than in Budapest
- Cost of living in Iasi is 34% cheaper than in Catania
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 47% cheaper than in Spokane, Washington
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 15% more expensive than in Natal
- Cost of living in Iasi is 47% cheaper than in Malmo
- Cost of living in Piteşti is 45% cheaper than in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Cost of living in Bucharest is about the same as in Ankara
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 31% cheaper than in Athens
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 54% more expensive than in Târgu Mureş
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 21% cheaper than in São Paulo
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 50% cheaper than in Berlin
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 19% cheaper than in Segovia
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 6% cheaper than in Sofia
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 36% cheaper than in Lisbon
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 34% cheaper than in Barcelona, Spain