Cost of Living in Bucharest for Expats
How much does it cost to live in Bucharest as an expat? Rent and international school fees are the big items; most everyday costs are low by Western European standards. This guide uses real numbers: rents from the 385 homes we listed for rent in Bucharest between January 2023 and September 2026, school fees from the schools' own 2026-27 fee pages, and everyday prices from Numbeo (updated 30 September 2026).
Updated October 2026. Rents are quoted in euros per month. €1 is about 5.28 lei (National Bank of Romania, 1 October 2026).
Monthly costs at a glance
| Cost | Typical amount |
|---|---|
| 1-bedroom apartment | €850–1,250 a month |
| 2-bedroom apartment | €1,400–2,500 a month |
| 3-bedroom apartment | €2,400–3,600 a month |
| Family house in Pipera (usually 4 bedrooms) | €2,700–4,050 a month |
| Utilities for an 85 m² apartment | about €178 a month |
| Home internet / mobile plan | about €8 / €7 a month |
| International school, final years (2026-27) | €21,400–28,050 a year |
| Metro monthly pass | 140 lei (about €27) |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | about €13 |
Rent ranges show the middle half of our listings (from the 25th to the 75th percentile). All sources are listed at the end of this page.
Rent: what expats actually pay
Rent is the biggest cost, and the averages you find online are lower than what most expats pay. Numbeo's city-wide averages are €611 a month for a one-bedroom apartment in the city centre and €981 for a three-bedroom one (September 2026), and they include the communist-era apartment blocks that we do not list. Expats usually rent modern or restored homes in the central and northern neighborhoods, and those are the homes in the tables below.
Rent by size
| Home | Median rent | Middle half of listings | Typical size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-bedroom apartment | €1,000 | €850–1,250 | 60 m² |
| 2-bedroom apartment | €1,850 | €1,400–2,500 | 100 m² |
| 3-bedroom apartment | €2,900 | €2,400–3,600 | 155 m² |
| Apartment or penthouse, 4+ bedrooms | €4,500 | €3,900–5,900 | 200 m² |
| 3-bedroom house | €2,500 | €2,100–3,000 | 160 m² |
| 4-bedroom house | €3,500 | €2,750–4,000 | 220 m² |
| 5-bedroom house | €4,250 | €3,500–5,500 | 315 m² |
Based on 284 apartments and 101 houses we listed between January 2023 and September 2026 (asking rents).
Rent by neighborhood (apartments)
| Area | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | Per m² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primaverii | – | €3,000 | €4,100 | €23 |
| Dorobanti | – | €2,200 | €3,700 | €23 |
| Floreasca | €1,000 | €2,000 | €2,650 | €20 |
| Kiseleff | – | €2,500 | €2,850 | €20 |
| Herastrau | €1,200 | €2,100 | €2,700 | €19 |
| Baneasa | – | €1,700 | €3,500 | €19 |
| Downtown (city centre) | €1,000 | €1,500 | €2,700 | €18 |
| Pipera | €1,050 | €1,400 | €2,450 | €17 |
| Aviatiei | €900 | – | – | €16 |
Medians per month. A dash means fewer than five listings. Most family houses we let are in Pipera, close to the American and British international schools: the median rent is €3,500 a month, and a typical house has four bedrooms and about 240 m² (middle half of rents €2,700–4,050). Houses in Baneasa (median €4,250, 5 listings) and villas in the city centre (median €3,550, 8 listings) are rarer.
- About one in four of our listings is quoted plus VAT.
- Asking rents for apartments went from a median of about €17 per m² in 2023 to €19–21 in 2024–2026.
- How renting works (viewings, the lease, ANAF registration, the handover and utilities) is explained in our step-by-step guide to renting in Romania.
Utilities, internet and phone
Numbeo puts basic utilities (electricity, heating, cooling, water and rubbish collection) for an 85 m² apartment at about €178 a month, home broadband of 60 Mbps or more at about €8 and a mobile plan with 10 GB or more of data at about €7. Expect higher bills in winter and in large houses. In apartment buildings, a monthly building fee (întreținere) covers shared costs; our renting guide explains how it works.
International schools
For families, school fees are usually the largest cost after rent. Annual fees for 2026-27, from the schools' official fee pages:
| School | Youngest classes | Final years | Extra fees for a new pupil |
|---|---|---|---|
| American International School of Bucharest (AISB) | €7,810 (EC2, half day) | €28,050 (Grades 9–12) | €250 application, €3,500 registration (K–12, first child), €1,000 building fee a year |
| British School of Bucharest | €3,948 (Pre-Nursery, half day) | €24,683 (Years 7–13) | €275 application, €3,674 admission (Years 1–13, first child), €5,789 reservation deposit |
| International British School of Bucharest | €7,350 (Nursery, half day) | €22,350 (Years 10–13) | €1,800 registration; €3,500 deposit deducted from fees |
| Cambridge School of Bucharest | €12,900 (Nursery) | €21,400 (Years 12–13) | €2,200 registration; €2,500 advance deducted from fees |
The French Lycée Anna de Noailles and the German School Bucharest publish their 2026-27 fees in documents on their own websites, and the Lycée has separate rates for large companies. Our guide to the best areas in Bucharest for expats shows which neighborhoods are closest to each school.
Getting around
A single metro trip costs 7 lei and an unlimited monthly metro pass 140 lei (Metrorex fares since 1 May 2026). Buses, trams and trolleybuses (STB) cost 3 lei for 90 minutes (spring 2026). Taxis are cheap by Western standards: Numbeo puts the standard taxi start at about €0.57 and each kilometre at about €0.57, and a litre of petrol at about €1.75.
Food and going out
| Item | Average price |
|---|---|
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | €12.80 |
| Dinner for two, mid-range restaurant (three courses, no drinks) | €50.00 |
| Cappuccino | €3.18 |
| Draught beer (pint) | €3.41 |
| Milk (1 litre) | €1.50 |
| Eggs (12) | €3.34 |
| Chicken fillets (1 kg) | about €6 |
| Bottle of mid-range wine | €5.69 |
| Gym membership (monthly) | about €45 |
Numbeo, last updated 30 September 2026.
Healthcare
Many expats use private clinics. The large private networks sell monthly subscriptions: Regina Maria's entry-level “Comfort” plan is listed at 69 lei (about €13) a month and includes six GP consultations a year, annual screening tests and 50% off most specialist consultations.
Sample monthly budgets
Using our median rents and Numbeo's estimates of everyday costs without rent (€667 a month for a single person and €2,350 for a family of four):
- Single professional, 1-bedroom apartment in the centre: €1,000 rent plus about €667 = about €1,700 a month.
- Family of four, 4-bedroom house in Pipera: €3,500 rent plus about €2,350 = about €5,850 a month before school fees. Two children at the British School (Nursery to Year 6, €21,294 a year each) add about €3,550 a month; two at AISB in Grades 9–12 (€28,050 each) add about €4,700.
Frequently asked questions
How much money do you need to live in Bucharest as an expat?
About €1,700 a month for a single person renting a one-bedroom apartment in the centre, and about €5,850 a month for a family of four in a house in Pipera before school fees, based on our rents and Numbeo's everyday-cost estimates.
What is the average rent in Bucharest for expats?
In our listings since 2023, the median rent is €1,000 a month for a one-bedroom apartment, €1,850 for two bedrooms, €2,900 for three bedrooms and €3,500 for a four-bedroom house.
Which areas of Bucharest are the most expensive?
Primaverii and Dorobanti, at about €23 per m² a month for apartments in our listings. Pipera and Aviatiei are the most affordable of the areas we cover, at about €16–17.
Are rents in Bucharest quoted in euros?
Yes. Rents are quoted in euros per month, and about one in four of our listings is quoted plus VAT.
Find your home
Tell us your budget, your move-in date and the areas you like, and we will only show you homes that fit. Message us on WhatsApp, call +40 744 608 211 or browse our homes for rent in Bucharest. You can also read more about Bucharest Homes.
Sources
- Rents: Bucharest Homes rental listings, January 2023 to September 2026 (385 homes in Bucharest, asking rents).
- Everyday prices: Numbeo, cost of living in Bucharest, last updated 30 September 2026.
- School fees 2026-27: AISB, British School of Bucharest, International British School of Bucharest, Cambridge School of Bucharest.
- Public transport: Metrorex fares from 1 May 2026 (Ziarul Financiar), TPBI fares.
- Healthcare: Regina Maria “Comfort” subscription.
- Exchange rate: National Bank of Romania reference rate for 1 October 2026.