Cost of Living in Romania

Updated: April 01, 2025

If you've ever considered moving to Romania, one of the first questions that likely crossed your mind is, "What is the cost of living in Romania?" After all, it's essential to have a clear picture of your potential expenses before making such a life-changing decision. At this page, we'll dive into the nitty-gritty of the cost of living in Romania and whether the reported $1145 per month figure aligns with the average monthly salary of $677.74.

Restaurants

Markets

Transportation

Childcare

Clothing

Rent Per Month

Buy Apartment

Salaries

Romania

restaurant Restaurants	Price	World Range
Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant	6.75 $
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course	28.91 $
McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal)	4.82 $
Domestic Beer (1 pint draught)	1.54 $
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle)	1.93 $
Cappuccino (regular)	1.78 $
Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle)	1.24 $
Water (12 oz small bottle)	1.07 $

store Markets	Price	World Range
Milk (regular), (1 gallon)	1.1 $
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb)	0.8 $
Rice (white), (1 lb)	1.23 $
Eggs (regular) (12)	2.27 $
Local Cheese (1 lb)	5.68 $
Chicken Fillets (1 lb)	4.5 $
Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)	7.55 $
Apples (1 lb)	0.83 $
Banana (1 lb)	1.13 $
Oranges (1 lb)	1.09 $
Tomato (1 lb)	1.58 $
Potato (1 lb)	0.53 $
Onion (1 lb)	0.56 $
Lettuce (1 head)	0.58 $
Water (1.5 liter bottle)	0.51 $
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range)	4.82 $
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)	0.73 $
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle)	1.16 $
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro)	4.24 $

commute Transportation	Price	World Range
One-way Ticket (Local Transport)	0.58 $
Monthly Pass (Regular Price)	15.42 $
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)	0.55 $
Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff)	0.54 $
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)	4.82 $
Gasoline (1 gallon)	1.55 $
Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car)	16384.28 $
Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car)	19336.99 $

mark_as_unread Utilities (Monthly)	Price	World Range
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment	111.57 $
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans)	0.05 $
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)	7.47 $

kitesurfing Sports And Leisure	Price	World Range
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult	32.71 $
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend)	12.71 $
Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat	5.78 $

child_friendly Childcare	Price	World Range
Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child	345.95 $
International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child	5502.76 $

checkroom Clothing And Shoes	Price	World Range
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)	54.72 $
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...)	32.0 $
1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range)	63.04 $
1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes	73.47 $

night_shelter Rent Per Month	Price	World Range
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre	330.1 $
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre	236.8 $
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre	569.1 $
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre	394.96 $

home Buy Apartment Price	Price	World Range
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre	1674.59 $
Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre	1185.76 $

account_balance_wallet Salaries And Financing	Price	World Range
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)	677.74 $
Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate	5.96 %

Dining Out

The cost of dining varies with the type of establishment. A meal at an affordable restaurant averages around 6.75 USD, while a three-course dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant generally costs 28.91 USD.

Groceries

Basic grocery prices are accessible for most essentials. For instance, a gallon of milk costs about 1.1 USD, a loaf of bread 0.8 USD, and a dozen eggs approximately 2.27 USD.

Transportation

Public transport is relatively affordable, with a single trip priced at about 0.58 USD and a monthly pass around 15.42 USD. If you plan to use public transit regularly, these passes offer great value.

Utilities

For an 85 m² apartment, monthly utility bills—including electricity, heating, water, and waste services—average around 111.57 USD.

Sports and Recreation

For those interested in fitness and leisure, a monthly gym membership averages around 32.71 USD, while an hour on a tennis court on weekends costs about 12.71 USD.

Childcare and Education

Families looking for private childcare services will find that a month at a local preschool or kindergarten costs around 345.95 USD. For international schooling options, annual tuition can reach approximately 5502.76 USD.

Clothing and Footwear

Clothing and shoe prices vary widely. A pair of Levi's 501 jeans, for example, costs about 54.72 USD, and mid-range Nike sneakers are priced around 63.04 USD.

Apartment Rentals

Rental prices depend on location, with a one-bedroom apartment in the city center averaging 330.1 USD per month, while one outside the center costs around 236.8 USD.

Real Estate for Purchase

If you're considering buying property, prices per square foot vary as well. In central areas, the price per square foot is roughly 1674.59 USD, while in the suburbs, it's closer to 1185.76 USD.

Average Salary and Mortgage Rates

The average monthly net salary here is about 677.74 USD after taxes, and mortgage interest rates for a 20-year fixed-rate loan average around 5.96% annually.

Warnings & Dangers in Romania

OVERALL RISK: LOW

For the most part, Romania is a safe country to travel to and considered to be a welcoming traveling destination, ranked among the most-threat free countries on the planet.

TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW

Transportation in Romania is mainly safe. As in any other country, cab drivers could take advantage of an unprepared tourist, scamming him into paying the ride way too much. Tourists are advised to use Uber or Black Cab to avoid such events.

PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW

Even though pickpocketing and small thefts are some of the most common crimes you can encounter in Romania, they are most common in big cities like Bucharest, or other famous tourist destinations in Romania, and even there they are rare compared to other bigger European capitals.

NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW

Some Romanian cities, such as Bucharest, are somewhat vulnerable to earthquake hazards, given the fact that they are located in an active seismic zone. Apart from that, some parts of Romania might become inaccessible due to heavy rains or snowfall during winter.

MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM

Even though crimes against tourists remain a problem in Romania, mugging is not an issue and rarely happens towards tourists.

TERRORISM RISK: LOW

As of 2016, Romania started boosting anti-terrorism laws, even though it was always considered to be one of the most terrorism threat-free countries in the world, so traveling to Romania is considered as safe as can be when it comes to terrorism.

SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM

Scams do happen in Romania, but mostly in the form of overpricing in bars, or by the street vendors. Drink spiking is also an issue in night clubs.

WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW

Even though Romania is as safe as can be for women travelers, they should be aware of the dangers of roaming alone in a strange city. Just like pretty much anywhere, they should avoid walking alone down empty or poorly lit streets, walking past groups of people that behave or look strange or getting into conversations with unknown people that might seem strangely friendly.

Cost of Living in Romania

Romania

Restaurants

Markets

Transportation

Utilities (Monthly)

Sports And Leisure

Childcare

Clothing And Shoes

Rent Per Month

Buy Apartment Price

Salaries And Financing