Cost Of Living For a Single Person in Bucharest 2025

Average monthly spending for a single person or individual in Bucharest

How much money does an individual need in a month to survive in Bucharest?

A single person in Bucharest spends around 9,500 RON per month on average. Depending on the lifestyle, a single individual can survive with a monthly budget as low as 1,300 RON or as high as 110,000 RON. Location and income are very important factors and have a huge influence on expenditure and budget.

Single person expenditure to income ratio in Bucharest

Analysing the how affordable it is for an individual to live in Bucharest

One of the most definite ways to determine how affordable a place is measuring the ratio of expenses to salary. A high expense-to-income to ratio indicates a high cost-of-living index while a low expenditure-to-salary ratio means the place is affordable to live in. Individuals usually spend a larger chunk of their income than other population groups. A typical and healthy expenditure percentage for a single individual ranges between 70% to 80%.

Individuals in Bucharest spend around 88% of their monthly income. Some individuals spend as low as 79% of their income while some as high as 98%.

How do individuals spend their money in Bucharest?

We asked thousands of individuals about their spending habits and expenditure break down.

Housing and accomodation expenditure for individuals

Individuals in Bucharest typically spend from 19% to 43% of their total monthly expenditure on housing with 31% being the average. The average monthly spend on housing is 3,400 RON with expenditure ranging from 470 RON to 37,000 RON. This cost mainly goes for rent but it also includes other accommodation-related expenses.

Electricity, utilities, energy, water, internet, and mobile expenditure for individuals

Utility expenditure like electricity, water, and gas in Bucharest ranges from 4% to 13% of total expenses with 8% being the average for most individuals. The average monthly cost of utilities is 500 RON with 70 RON and 5,500 RON being the upper and lower limits for a single person.

Transport, fuel, and commute expenditure for individuals

Fuel consumption and cost of transport depend heavily on whether a single person resides near school and work, but roughly speaking a single person would expect to spend from 100 RON to 7,900 RON in a month on commuting with 710 RON being the norm for most individuals. This means that money spent on transport constitutes about 5% of total spending on average but can go as low as 3% or as high as 11%.

Food, groceries, and basic shopping expenditure for individuals

The average outlay on groceries and basic houshold items for a typical person in a month in Bucharest is 1,400 RON. The cost of groceries can range between 200 RON to 15,000 RON. Individuals spend on average about 19% on food and groceries with upper and lower bounds of 13% and 24% respectively.

Healthcare and medical services expenditure for individuals

Individuals in Bucharest allocate 6% to 16% of their total monthly expenditure to healthcare including health insurance and out-of-pocket medical expenses. The average spending on medical services and clinic visits is around 12%. The range of medical expenses range from 98 RON to 7,700 RON with 690 RON being the norm for most individuals.

Leisure and shopping expenditure for individuals

This category mostly contains discretionary or non-essential expenses but also some non-discretionary spending like furniture for example. The monthly expenses range from 61 RON to 4,800 RON with 430 RON being the average. Speaking of percentages, that equates to 2% to 6% of total expenses with an average of 3% for most individuals.

Education and schooling expenditure for individuals

Spending on education can vary drastically between different individuals. On average, education constitutes 1% of the monthly expenditure of individuals with 0.00% and 3% being the lower and upper bounds respectively. The average reported education cost is 170 RON per month with 25 RON being the minimum spent amount and 1,900 RON being the maximum.

What percentage of individuals in Bucharest are able to save money and how much can they save?

Percentage of individuals that reported their ability to save money

Almost 77% of surveyed individuals in Bucharest said that they can save some money at the end of each month while 23% reported that they have to utilize their whole income to survive.

How much money do individuals manage to add to their savings?

Saving to Income Ratio

Average Monthly Saved Amount

Savings to income distribution levels for individuals

Interpretation and Analysis

Individuals that are able to save money can put anywhere from 16% to 39% of their monthly income to their savings, with 27% being the average for most individuals. The average monthly amount of money that individuals can put aside is 3,600 RON with 400 RON and 40,000 RON being the minimum and maximum respectively.

Saving Challenges in Bucharest

Reasons that make it difficult for individuals to save money

We wanted to understand what is stopping people from maximizing their savings in Bucharest. Listed below are the answers given by the survey participants.

Around 5% of the individuals said that their salary is too low to accommodate a portion for savings while 8% said that the high cost of living leaves little room for savings. 15% of the residents said that they are burdened with debt and find it challenging to save money. 11% reported that they just don't have the knowledge or discipline to create and stick to a budget, leading to overspending and an inability to save. 11% of individuals blamed impulsive spending as the reason for saving inability. Around 7% said that unexpected expenses like medical bills or car repairs are derailing their savings goals. 6% bluntly said that they don't see the purpose of it and prefer to live each day to the fullest. 19% reported that they understand the value of saving but are putting off saving for the future, thinking they have plenty of time to start later. 12% blamed inflation, saying that every time they save some money they end up using it immediately. A surprising 3% said that social pressure and keeping up with peers or social expectations makes them overspend. Lastly, 2% blamed market instability and price fluctuations.

Typical saving choices for individuals in Bucharest

Where do people choose to put their savings?

Low-cost alternatives in Bucharest

People are always looking for ways to cut down expenses and reduce expenditures. The hallmark of any affordable place is the availability of discount stores, bargain deals, smart or secondhand shopping, refurbished items, and couponing. We asked individuals how easily cost-cutting is and the answers were distributed as follows:

Plenty of low-cost options57%

Few low-cost options43%

Based on the survey, 57% of the individuals living in Bucharest have no problem finding low-cost alternatives to support a frugal lifestyle while 43% think that thriftness is difficult due to scarcity in discount markets and secondhand outlets.

A typical and healthy budgeting structure

The 50/30/20 rule

Spending among different people can vary significantly based on factors such as their income, lifestyle, location, and personal preferences. A commonly used guideline for budgeting is the 50/30/20 rule, which suggests allocating your income into three main categories in the following percentages.

• 50% for needs and financial obligations

  This category includes essential expenses like housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, and healthcare.

• 30% for wants and discretionary spending

  This category covers discretionary spending on non-essential items, such as dining out, entertainment, travel, and other lifestyle choices.

• 20% for savings and emergency fund

  This is the percentage that must be allocated to savings, emergency funds, and retirement accounts.

About financial planning, money management, and household budgeting

Affordable living in Bucharest

Income and cost of living compatibility

We asked individuals one simple question and recorded their answers.

Is it affordable or economical to live in Bucharest?

Around 67% of surveyed individuals think that living in Bucharest is affordable with proper budgeting while 33% reported that it is just too expensive and not affordable even with frugality and thriftness.

Monthly costs and expenses of energy and basic utilities in Bucharest

Energy, electricity, water, gas, internet, and mobile cost in Bucharest

Utility Bill Cost / Electricity + Water + Gas / A single person

70 RON

500 RON

5,500 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$15

$110

$1,200

Internet and cable cost

65 RON

130 RON

170 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$14

$28

$38

Mobile phone bill and charges

42 RON

70 RON

210 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$9.2

$15

$46

The average monthly energy and water consumption of individuals is around 500 RON. The cost of internet and WiFi ranges from 65 RON to 170 RON with 130 RON being the average internet bill. Finally, the average monthly mobile charges is around 70 RON but can range between 42 RON and 210 RON depending on consumption. Mobile charges include both calling minutes as well as data packages.

Energy / Utility expense to income ratio

The average utility-to-income ratio in Bucharest is around 5.9%. This means that people pay 5.9% of their income for energy, water, internet, and mobile charges. Those figures can range from 2.4% to 11% depending on salary and location.

Emergency Funds For Individuals

An emergency fund is a financial safety net comprised of easily accessible savings set aside to cover unexpected expenses or financial emergencies, typically amounting to three to six months' worth of living expenses. We asked individuals whether they have an emergency fund and the answers were as follows.

Yes62%

No38%

Based on the survey, 38% of the individuals living in Bucharest said that they don't have an emergency fund while 62% said that they do.

Financial Literacy in

Financial literacy is the knowledge of concepts and principles related to personal finance that allow individuals to make informed decisions regarding their money such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, managing debt, financial risk management, and planning.

Financial Leteracy62%

We asked individuals in Bucharest whether they acquired any adequate personal financial training in their lives. Approximately 38% of the people who participated in the survey said that they are not well informed about the topics of budgeting, saving, etc., and just manage things based on their own experience, while 62% said that they know about the general principles of personal finance from sources other than their own experience.

Difficulty in Budgeting and Financial Planning

We wanted to understand whether single people of have problems or difficulties in managing their expenditures and savings so we asked people one simple question: do you struggle with your personal finances? 41% of the participants reported that they indeed struggle in creating budgets and in organizing their finances while 59% said that they have everything under control.

Struggles with finance41%

Easily manages finances59%

Financial goals of individuals in Bucharest

In an attempt to understand the economic situation in Bucharest, we asked participants about their financial targets. By knowing what the population in general is trying to achieve, we can shed light on the economic outlook, cost of living, and quality of life in general.

Around 8% of individuals said that their main goal is to establish an emergency fund to cover unexpected expenses while 39% said their number one priority is to pay off high-interest debt or loans and improve credit. 9% of surveyed people confirmed that saving for retirement to ensure a comfortable lifestyle in the final years is their main target. Around 7% reported that their priority is saving for the tuition fees and education costs of their children while 18% choose to buy a home or pay off existing mortgage before other things. 7% of the population would like to build wealth through investments such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or real estate. For 8% of people, saving for vacations or upgrading their lifestyle is the number one concern. Approximately 12% of the residents said that saving for healthcare expenses including insurance premiums is their main goal.

Housing costs, accommodation, and housing affordability in Bucharest

Rent Cost in Bucharest

Monthly Rent Prices

Studio apartment monthly rent cost

1,200 RON

1,800 RON

4,700 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$260

$390

$1,000

1-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

1,800 RON

2,900 RON

7,300 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$400

$630

$1,600

2-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

2,500 RON

3,700 RON

9,900 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$540

$810

$2,200

3-bedroom apartment monthly rent cost

3,100 RON

5,100 RON

14,000 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$670

$1,100

$3,000

Furnished apartment monthly rent cost

5,800 RON

15,000 RON

29,000 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1,300

$3,200

$6,300

Townhouse monthly rent cost

4,800 RON

7,100 RON

20,000 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1,000

$1,600

$4,400

House monthly rent cost

5,800 RON

15,000 RON

29,000 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1,300

$3,200

$6,400

Villa monthly rent cost

7,100 RON

18,000 RON

28,000 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1,500

$3,900

$6,200

The monthly rental cost of a studio apartment in Bucharest ranges between 1,200 RON and 4,700 RON, meanwhile the cost of monthly rental of a one-bedroom apartment can be anywhere from 1,800 RON to 7,300 RON. Two-bedroom rentals rate ranges between 2,500 RON and 9,900 RON per month. The monthly rental for a three-bedroom apartment ranges from 3,100 RON to 14,000 RON. The average rent of a townhouse in Bucharest is around 7,100 RON while house rental costs can be as high as 15,000 RON per month. Finally, if you want to rent a villa, expect to pay anywhere from 7,100 RON to 28,000 RON per month.

Apartment and house prices in Bucharest

Cost of buying a property

Studio apartment price

250,000 RON

370,000 RON

740,000 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$54,000

$81,000

$160,000

1-bedroom apartment price

310,000 RON

510,000 RON

1.9M RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$67,000

$110,000

$420,000

2-bedroom apartment price

470,000 RON

1.4M RON

2.8M RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$100,000

$310,000

$620,000

3-bedroom apartment price

1.6M RON

2.4M RON

7.3M RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$350,000

$530,000

$1.6M

Townhouse price

2.1M RON

5M RON

19M RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$470,000

$1.1M

$4.1M

House price

2.6M RON

15M RON

22M RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$560,000

$3.3M

$4.8M

Villa price

3.1M RON

17M RON

25M RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$670,000

$3.7M

$5.5M

The average price of a studio apartment in Bucharest can range from 250,000 RON to 740,000 RON depending on location. One bedroom cost can be anywhere from 310,000 RON to 1.9M RON. A villa can cost you 17M RON on average with prices ranging from 3.1M RON to 25M RON.

House / apartment prices to income ratio

Property prices in Bucharest can be x160 to x287 multiples of the monthly income depending on the property and the income of the person. On average, property prices are approximately x160 multiples of the average monthly salary in Bucharest.

Rent to income ratio

The average rent-to-income ratio in Bucharest is around 39%. This means that people pay 39% of their income for rent. Those figures can range from 27% to 51% depending on the salary, location, and type of property.

Housing affordability index

The housing affordability index measures how affordable accommodation is in a particular place. This can measured in multiple ways, the most common being housing expenditure to total expenditure ratio and the rent to income ratio. The housing expenditure ratio is a figure reported by individuals on the percentage they allocate for housing. Rent to income ratio is calculated by dividing the average monthly rent by the average income. Because these values are both percentages, we can find their average and get the best of the two worlds.

Property Taxes

Real estate owners pay property taxes to local tax authorities, which are determined by the assessed value of their property. Typically, these taxes are paid once a year. Property tax funds contribute to community development, financing infrastructure improvements, public services, and local education initiatives.

Home Maintenance Costs

Home maintenance costs encompass various expenses associated with the upkeep and repair of a residence. These expenditures include regular tasks such as lawn care, pest control, and HVAC system servicing, as well as occasional repairs and renovations like fixing leaks, painting, or replacing appliances.

Urban vs. rural living costs

Urban living typically entails higher housing and transportation costs due to demand and limited space, while rural areas generally offer lower housing expenses but may have higher prices for goods and services. The differnce in rental rates between urban areas and rural areas can be as high as 300% in some cases.

Debt, loans, and mortgages in Bucharest

Percentage of individuals who are in debt

According to the survey, 31% of the individuals in Bucharest have some kind of debt, loan, mortgage, or credit card payments while 69% reported that they don't have financial obligations to banks.

Debt-to-income ratio in Bucharest

Interpretation

The debt-to-income ratio measures the percentage of income being paid as debt settlement across the population. It is calculated by dividing the monthly debt settlement payment of an individual by their monthly income. Based on collected data, approximately 28% of a single person's monthly income in Bucharest goes to debt settlement.

Debt levels

Monthly debt settlement payment as percentage of monthly income

According to our data, 3% of the debtors in Bucharest pay 60%+ of their income as debt settlement while 16% of the people pay 50% to 60% of their income for the same, which is quite an alarming financial situation for those individuals. 13% of people in debt dedicate 40% to 50% of their income to loan and mortgage payments while 15% dedicated 30% to 40% of income for same. Things are looking brighter for 12% of individuals as they only pay 20% to 30% of their income for loan and credit card repayment.

Distribution by type of debt in Bucharest

10% of debtors in Bucharest confirm that real estate mortgages constitutes the main part of their outstanding debt while 28% say that credit card payments are the reason they are in debt. Auto loans were the main type of debt for 18% of people and personal loans rose at 41%. Lastly, student loans are the main source of debt for 4% of debtors in Bucharest.

Good debt vs. Bad debt

Not all debt is bad. Good debt typically refers to borrowing money for investments that can increase in value or generate income over time like purchasing a home or acquiring student loans. On the other hand, bad debt involves borrowing for things that fail to generate lasting value like high-interest credit card debt used for non-essential expenses like luxury items or vacations.

Loan Affordability Index in Bucharest

Besides measuring the loan-to-income ratio, we asked individuals how many times in a year they defaulted or were unable to pay their due credit card or loan payments on time. Understanding how often people default on their due payments is one of the indicators of the cost of living and economic situation.

Frequency and percentage of people who failed to pay their monthly credit card or loan payments on time last year.

Food Prices, Dining Expenses, and Grocery Costs in Bucharest

Prices and cost of goods and services in Bucharest

Dining out, food, and beverages costs. Price variations for common food items.

Fast food combo meal price

12 RON

25 RON

41 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$2.7

$5.4

$8.9

The average price of a regular combo meal at a fast food outlet or chain like McDonald's, Pizzahut, or KFC in Bucharest is approximatly 25 RON with meal cost ranging from 12 RON to 41 RON. The typical combo meal consists of a burger, french fries, and a drink.

Restaurant meal for one price

43 RON

64 RON

130 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$9.3

$14

$28

If you are planning to have a nice meal at a mid-range restaurant, expect to pay anywhere between 43 RON and 130 RON with 64 RON being the average price of a plate for one person at a regular restaurant in Bucharest.

Fine dining meal for one price

82 RON

120 RON

490 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$18

$27

$110

The price range of a meal at fine-dining restaurant is 82 RON to 490 RON with the average cost being 120 RON for one person. This is what you would expect to pay a top-tier diner in Bucharest.

Beverage prices, cappuccino, latte etc..

11 RON

17 RON

25 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$2.3

$3.7

$5.5

The average price of a regular beverage like cappuccino or latte at Starbucks, Costa, or similar coffee shops and cafes in Bucharest is around 17 RON. Price ranges between 11 RON and 25 RON depending on the type of beverage, the size, and optional add-ons.

Grocery and market costs

Large bottle of milk price

8.6 RON

10 RON

13 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.9

$2.2

$2.8

The average price of a large bottle of milk in Bucharest is 10 RON. The maximum what you would pay for milk is 13 RON and the minimum being 8.6 RON depending on the brand of milk and other properties.

12 eggs price

6.1 RON

8.2 RON

12 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.3

$1.8

$2.7

A dozen eggs costs around 8.2 RON on average with 6.1 RON and 12 RON being the lower and upper limits respectively.

Fresh whole chicken price

15 RON

19 RON

27 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$3.2

$4.1

$5.9

The price range of a fresh whole chicken in Bucharest is between 15 RON and 27 RON depending on the size of the chicken and whether it is oraganic or not. The average price is approximatly 19 RON.

Pack of beef price

18 RON

27 RON

53 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$3.9

$5.8

$12

The price of a regular pack of beef or meat is around 27 RON. A pack of beef contains around 1Kg or 1lb depending on packing.

Medium bag of rice price

6.5 RON

8.9 RON

13 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$1.4

$1.9

$2.7

A bag of rice in Bucharest costs around 8.9 RON on average with prices rangeing between 6.5 RON and 13 RON depending on the brand and quality.

Bag of tomatos price

2.5 RON

3.3 RON

6.2 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.54

$0.72

$1.3

A bag of tomatoes costs anywhere from 2.5 RON to 6.2 RON. A bag of tomatoes denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Bag of apples price

4.5 RON

5.9 RON

9.6 RON

MINIMUM

AVERAGE

MAXIMUM

$0.98

$1.3

$2.1

A bag of apples costs 5.9 RON on average. A bag of apples denotes 1Kg or 1lb depending on location.

Grocery and food expenditure to income ratio

The average grocery-to-income ratio in Bucharest is around 30%. This means that individuals spend 30% of their income on grocery and basic household items. The expenditure can range from 21% to 37% depending on salary and location.

Expenditure on food and grocery for individuals