🇷🇴 Romania · A realistic 2026 budget for newcomers — rent, food, transport, and what a month actually costs.
Wondering how far your salary goes in Bucharest? Here’s what everyday life costs, in local prices — the numbers that matter when you’re deciding to move or negotiating a package.
What things cost
One-bed flat, central north (Aviatorilor, Floreasca, Dorobanți)RON 3,500–6,000 / month
Utilities and gigabit internet, one personRON 450–900 / month, higher in winter with gas heating
Groceries, one personRON 1,200–1,900 / month
Integrated STB + Metrorex monthly passRON 196 / month from 1 May 2026
Good to know
Population
≈1.7–1.8 million registered in the city, with a substantially larger daytime and metropolitan population across Ilfov county
Administration
Six sectors, each with its own mayor, council and local tax office, under a General Mayor for city-wide matters
Languages
Romanian, a Romance language written in Latin script. English is widely spoken in tech, business and among under-forties; French among older professionals
Currency
Romanian leu (RON). Romania has not adopted the euro and has no target date in force
Schengen
Full Schengen member since 1 January 2025 — air and sea from March 2024, land borders from January 2025
Time zone
EET (GMT+2), EEST (GMT+3) in summer
Power plug
Type C and F, 230 V, 50 Hz
Internet
Among the fastest and cheapest fixed broadband in the world — gigabit fibre is standard and costs a fraction of Western European prices
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
A note on budgeting
Rent is usually the swing factor — location and whether bills are included move the number most. Build your estimate from the rent band above, add a monthly living figure, and keep a buffer for one-off setup costs (deposits, a residence permit, a local SIM, first-month transport). Globe Quest turns this into a personalized Bucharest checklist so nothing setup-related catches you off guard.
Plan your move to Bucharest
A free, AI-personalized plan — the language, culture, and setup steps timed to your move date.