Cost of living in Romania
Summary of cost of living in Romania
- Family of four estimated monthly costs: 9,023 lei
- Single person estimated monthly costs: 3,979 lei
- Romania is the 3rd cheapest country in Eastern Europe (15 out of 17)
- Cost of living in Romania is cheaper than in 87% of countries in the World (81 out of 93)
Change the currency:
| Food | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic lunchtime menu (including a drink) in the business district | 34 lei | ||
| Combo meal in fast food restaurant (big mac meal or similar) | 21 lei | ||
| 500 gr (1 lb.) of boneless chicken breast | 13 lei | ||
| 1 liter (1 qt.) of whole fat milk | 5.05 lei | ||
| 12 eggs, large | 12 lei | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of tomatoes | 5.42 lei | ||
| 500 gr (16 oz.) of local cheese | 15 lei | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of apples | 3.80 lei | ||
| 1 kg (2 lb.) of potatoes | 2.90 lei | ||
| 0.5 l (16 oz) domestic beer in the supermarket | 3.27 lei | ||
| 1 bottle of red table wine, good quality | 29 lei | ||
| 2 liters of coca-cola | 5.80 lei | ||
| Bread for 2 people for 1 day | 2.56 lei | ||
| Housing | |||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in expensive area | 2,918 lei | ||
| Monthly rent for 85 m2 (900 sqft) furnished accommodation in normal area | 1,767 lei | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 2 people in 85m2 flat | 394 lei | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in expensive area | 1,662 lei | ||
| Monthly rent for a 45 m2 (480 sqft) furnished studio in normal area | 1,146 lei | ||
| Utilities 1 month (heating, electricity, gas ...) for 1 person in 45 m2 (480 sqft) studio | 233 lei | ||
| Internet 8 mbps (1 month) | 35 lei | ||
| 40” flat screen tv | 1,558 lei | ||
| Microwave 800/900 watt (bosch, panasonic, lg, sharp, or equivalent brands) | 355 lei | ||
| Laundry detergent (3 l. ~ 100 oz.) | 38 lei | ||
| Hourly rate for cleaning help | 29 lei | ||
| Clothes | |||
| 1 pair of jeans (levis 501 or similar) | 238 lei | ||
| 1 summer dress in a high street store (zara, h&m or similar retailers) | 146 lei | ||
| 1 pair of sport shoes (nike, adidas, or equivalent brands) | 324 lei | ||
| 1 pair of men’s leather business shoes | 356 lei | ||
| Transportation | |||
| Volkswagen golf 1.4 tsi 150 cv (or equivalent), with no extras, new | 84,914 lei | ||
| 1 liter (1/4 gallon) of gas | 5.76 lei | ||
| Monthly ticket public transport | 68 lei | ||
| Personal Care | |||
| Cold medicine for 6 days (tylenol, frenadol, coldrex, or equivalent brands) | 25 lei | ||
| 1 box of antibiotics (12 doses) | 30 lei | ||
| Short visit to private doctor (15 minutes) | 130 lei | ||
| 1 box of 32 tampons (tampax, ob, ...) | 18 lei | ||
| Deodorant, roll-on (50ml ~ 1.5 oz.) | 14 lei | ||
| Hair shampoo 2-in-1 (400 ml ~ 12 oz.) | 17 lei | ||
| 4 rolls of toilet paper | 6.00 lei | ||
| Tube of toothpaste | 10 lei | ||
| Standard men's haircut in expat area of the city | 27 lei | ||
| Entertainment | |||
| Basic dinner out for two in neighborhood pub | 92 lei | ||
| 2 tickets to the movies | 49 lei | ||
| 2 tickets to the theater (best available seats) | 155 lei | ||
| Dinner for two at an italian restaurant in the expat area including appetisers, main course, wine and dessert | 130 lei | ||
| 1 cocktail drink in downtown club | 22 lei | ||
| Cappuccino in expat area of the city | 12 lei | ||
| 1 beer in neighbourhood pub (500ml or 1pt.) | 8 lei | ||
| Ipad wi-fi 128gb | 2,217 lei | ||
| 1 min. of prepaid mobile tariff (no discounts or plans) | 0.60 lei | ||
| 1 month of gym membership in business district | 186 lei | ||
| 1 package of marlboro cigarettes | 18 lei | ||
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 | 81 |
| 2nd | Cluj-Napoca | 74 |
| 3rd | Iasi | 69 |
| 4th | Arad | 67 |
| 5th | Craiova | 64 |
| 6th | Oradea | 64 |
| 7th | Sibiu | 63 |
| 8th | Târgu Mureş | 59 |
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 11% cheaper than in Cartagena
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 47% cheaper than in Tehran
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 25% cheaper than in Seville
- Cost of living in Bucharest is about the same as in Cairo
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 56% cheaper than in Amsterdam
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 19% more expensive than in Ankara
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 8% cheaper than in Budapest
- Cost of living in Bucharest is about the same as in Istanbul
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 25% cheaper than in Moscow
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 57% cheaper than in Tokyo
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 42% cheaper than in Jacksonville, Florida
- Cost of living in Bucharest is about the same as in Sofia
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 63% cheaper than in London
- Cost of living in Iasi is 63% cheaper than in San Diego, California
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 19% cheaper than in Prague
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 13% more expensive than in Managua
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 26% cheaper than in Oporto
- Cost of living in Cluj-Napoca is 44% cheaper than in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Cost of living in Bucharest is 33% cheaper than in Amman
- Cost of living in Bucharest is about the same as in Puerto Vallarta
Compare other countries
Prices recently added
- Internet connection 300 mbps, 1 month in Bucharest costs 30 lei (2 days ago)
- Internet connection 300 mbps, 1 month in Bucharest costs 80 lei (3 days ago)
- 40′ flat screen tv in Cluj-Napoca costs 1,900 lei (3 days ago)
- Utilities (studio), monthly for 1 person in 45 m2 in Cluj-Napoca costs 400 lei (3 days ago)
- Monthly rent - 45 m2 furnished studio in normal area in Cluj-Napoca costs 1,600 lei (3 days ago)
- Monthly rent - 45 m2 furnished studio in expensive area in Cluj-Napoca costs 2,400 lei (3 days ago)
- Utilities, monthly for 2 people in 85 m2 in Cluj-Napoca costs 800 lei (3 days ago)
- Furnished accommodation in normal area, monthly rent - 85 m2 in Cluj-Napoca costs 2,900 lei (3 days ago)
- Monthly rent - 85 m2 furnished accommodation in expensive area in Cluj-Napoca costs 3,900 lei (3 days ago)
- 1 liter of whole fat milk in Cluj-Napoca costs 6.00 lei (3 days ago)