Bucharest vs Chicago - Cost of Living Comparison

Bucharest Chicago
🚶 Cost of living one person
$891
$2372
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2284
$5663
🏠 One person rent
$398
$1412
🏘️ Family rent
$693
$2402
🍽️ Food expenses
$313
$585
🚐 Transport expenses
$72.6
$210
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1019
$5314
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
12 km
15 km
🎓 Higher education
74
100
😀 Quality of life
79
96
🏙️ Population
1.88M
2.75M

The cost of living in Bucharest is 62% less expensive than in Chicago. Cities ranked 5928th and 254th ($891 vs $2372) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 1st and 195th in Romania and the United States, respectively. Check Romania vs the United States comparison.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.1 months in Bucharest compared to 2.2 months in Chicago. Bucharest ranked 1st best city to live in Romania vs Chicago ranked 1st in the United States, while ranked 465th and 11th among best cities to live in the world.

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Cost of living in Bucharest vs Chicago infographic

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Prices in Bucharest vs Chicago

Prices for goods and services in Bucharest and Chicago are partly crowdsourced by our visitors, just like yourself. Please consider telling us about your city.

Bucharest Chicago
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$9.45
$16.8
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$38.2
$62.8
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.71
$9.52
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.25
$5.86
☕ Cappuccino
$2.71
$5.14
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$1.76
$2.6
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$408
$1692
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$298
$1112
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$819
$3028
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$517
$1930
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$69.1
$124
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$107
$192
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$8.88
$60.8
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
6.99%
5.59%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2593
$4099
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1591
$2764
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.66
$2.5
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$18.3
$77.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$5.45
$17.1
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.69
$1.21
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.61
$1.04
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$0.98
$2.81
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.29
$3.12
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.07
$4.12
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.77
$13.8
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.55
$12
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.1
$16.4
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.08
$4.41
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.54
$1.59
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.43
$3.66
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.81
$4.1
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.8
$1.99
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.8
$2.11
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.46
$1.51
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.51
$2.21
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$6.82
$15.6
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$0.94
$2.75
🚬 Cigarette pack
$5.07
$15.6
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$8.13
$10.5
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$5.97
$5.76
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.75
$4.92
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$3.77
$1.98
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$42.8
$63.1
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$7.66
$14.5
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$53.7
$101
💇 Haircut, simple
$10.3
$26.3
👖 Brand Jeans
$74
$59.8
👟 Brand Sneakers
$76.3
$92.3
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$480
$1798
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$8708
$21587

Cost of living in other countries

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Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Bucharest

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 8.3 mi Voluntari
$620
56 km or 35 mi Giurgiu
$807
60 km or 37 mi Ploiesti
$658
62 km or 39 mi Ruse
$521
77 km or 48 mi Targoviste
$641
77 km or 48 mi Alexandria
$506
102 km or 63 mi Buzau
$610
102 km or 63 mi Calarasi
$670
103 km or 64 mi Slobozia
$628
108 km or 67 mi Pitesti
$608
137 km or 85 mi Slatina
$603
143 km or 89 mi Shumen
$565
144 km or 90 mi Brasov
$800
151 km or 94 mi Veliko Tarnovo
$552
156 km or 97 mi Ramnicu Valcea
$605
161 km or 100 mi Pleven
$630
164 km or 102 mi Sfantu Gheorghe
$522
168 km or 104 mi Dobrich
$639
168 km or 105 mi Focsani
$527
177 km or 110 mi Braila
$627
180 km or 112 mi Craiova
$688
181 km or 112 mi Gabrovo
$461
192 km or 119 mi Galati
$649
192 km or 119 mi Sliven
$524
198 km or 123 mi Varna
$749
203 km or 126 mi Mamaia
$620
205 km or 127 mi Constanta
$794
216 km or 134 mi Yambol
$498
217 km or 135 mi Sibiu
$695
223 km or 138 mi Stara Zagora
$540
232 km or 144 mi Tulcea
$629
233 km or 145 mi Targu Jiu
$512
236 km or 146 mi Cahul
$475
237 km or 147 mi Barlad
$575
238 km or 148 mi Medias
$444
239 km or 148 mi Burgas
$604
243 km or 151 mi Vratsa
$861
251 km or 156 mi Bacau
$699
260 km or 161 mi Vidin
$500
267 km or 166 mi Targu Mures
$593

Cities near Chicago

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 7 mi Cicero
$2010
14 km or 8.8 mi Berwyn
$2103
14 km or 8.9 mi Oak Park
$2132
16 km or 10 mi Elmwood Park
$2011
18 km or 11 mi Maywood
$2010
18 km or 11 mi Evanston
$2114
19 km or 12 mi Skokie
$2022
19 km or 12 mi Burbank
$2008
20 km or 12 mi Melrose Park
$2016
21 km or 13 mi Oak Lawn
$2012
22 km or 14 mi Morton Grove
$2020
22 km or 14 mi Niles
$2051
23 km or 14 mi Park Ridge
$2008
23 km or 14 mi Wilmette
$2021
25 km or 16 mi Blue Island
$2014
26 km or 16 mi Elmhurst
$2023
27 km or 17 mi Glenview
$2025
28 km or 17 mi Des Plaines
$1890
28 km or 18 mi Dolton
$2010
29 km or 18 mi Villa Park
$2016
30 km or 19 mi Harvey
$2021
30 km or 19 mi East Chicago
$1902
30 km or 19 mi Westmont
$2009
31 km or 19 mi Calumet
$2014
31 km or 20 mi South Holland
$2020
32 km or 20 mi Lombard
$1995
32 km or 20 mi Hammond
$2009
32 km or 20 mi Oak Forest
$2021
33 km or 20 mi Northbrook
$2011
33 km or 20 mi Mount Prospect
$2021
33 km or 20 mi Darien
$2020
33 km or 21 mi Elk Grove Village
$2015
34 km or 21 mi Downers Grove
$2017
35 km or 22 mi Orland Park
$2016
36 km or 22 mi Lansing
$2013
36 km or 22 mi Glen Ellyn
$2012
37 km or 23 mi Highland Park
$2012
37 km or 23 mi Munster
$2015
37 km or 23 mi Tinley Park
$2016
37 km or 23 mi Wheeling
$2022