Bucharest vs Chicago - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Bucharest Chicago
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1138
$2822
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2971
$6502
🏠 One person rent
$535
$1695
🏘️ Family rent
$931
$2718
🍽️ Food expenses
$389
$730
🚐 Transport expenses
$84.2
$192
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1467
$5026
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
12 km
15 km
🎓 Higher education
78
100
😀 Quality of life
84
95
🏙️ Population
1.72M
2.75M

The cost of living in Bucharest is 60% less expensive than in Chicago. Cities ranked 4935th and 375th ($1138 vs $2822) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 3rd and 311th 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 1.3 months in Bucharest compared to 1.8 months in Chicago. Bucharest ranked 1st best city to live in Romania vs Chicago ranked 3rd in the United States, while ranked 508th and 22nd among best cities to live in the world.

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the estimated difference in money purchasing power

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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
$11.9
$19.9
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$57.2
$99.7
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$8.13
$13.5
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.53
$6.93
☕ Cappuccino
$3.56
$5.6
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.41
$3.05
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$586
$2002
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$385
$1406
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1055
$3205
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$699
$2314
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$99.4
$101
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$151
$157
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$10.4
$68
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
7.13%
6.66%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$4123
$3759
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2286
$2521
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.96
$2.5
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$22.9
$75.2
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$6.84
$14.5
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.76
$0.99
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.66
$1.24
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.08
$4.16
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.32
$5.38
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.75
$5.59
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.2
$14.3
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.76
$14.8
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.7
$17.6
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.38
$5.36
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.77
$1.81
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.77
$3.9
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.49
$4.44
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.87
$2.56
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.91
$2.56
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.62
$1.8
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.33
$3.62
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$7.76
$15.1
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.22
$3.03
🚬 Cigarette pack
$6.73
$16.9
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$7.02
$11.6
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.79
$7.06
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.77
$4.23
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$3.11
$2.21
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$48.8
$69.5
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$8.67
$16.7
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$69.3
$154
💇 Haircut, simple
$11.2
$33
👖 Brand Jeans
$86.8
$60.8
👟 Brand Sneakers
$101
$99.7
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$769
$1863
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$16525
$24172

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
$999
56 km or 35 mi Giurgiu
$956
60 km or 37 mi Ploiesti
$926
62 km or 39 mi Ruse
$784
77 km or 48 mi Targoviste
$800
77 km or 48 mi Alexandria
$724
102 km or 63 mi Buzau
$831
102 km or 63 mi Calarasi
$758
103 km or 64 mi Slobozia
$777
108 km or 67 mi Pitesti
$970
137 km or 85 mi Slatina
$695
143 km or 89 mi Shumen
$666
144 km or 90 mi Brasov
$1150
151 km or 94 mi Veliko Tarnovo
$759
156 km or 97 mi Ramnicu Valcea
$826
161 km or 100 mi Pleven
$704
164 km or 102 mi Sfantu Gheorghe
$732
168 km or 104 mi Dobrich
$805
168 km or 105 mi Focsani
$910
177 km or 110 mi Braila
$871
180 km or 112 mi Craiova
$983
181 km or 112 mi Gabrovo
$665
192 km or 119 mi Galati
$950
192 km or 119 mi Sliven
$607
198 km or 123 mi Varna
$1099
203 km or 126 mi Mamaia
$1062
205 km or 127 mi Constanta
$1132
216 km or 134 mi Yambol
$644
217 km or 135 mi Sibiu
$840
223 km or 138 mi Stara Zagora
$716
232 km or 144 mi Tulcea
$916
233 km or 145 mi Targu Jiu
$844
236 km or 146 mi Cahul
$864
237 km or 147 mi Barlad
$841
238 km or 148 mi Medias
$738
239 km or 148 mi Burgas
$872
243 km or 151 mi Vratsa
$763
251 km or 156 mi Bacau
$773
260 km or 161 mi Vidin
$683
267 km or 166 mi Targu Mures
$795

Cities near Chicago

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 7 mi Cicero
$2429
14 km or 8.8 mi Berwyn
$2374
14 km or 8.9 mi Oak Park
$2432
16 km or 10 mi Elmwood Park
$2406
18 km or 11 mi Maywood
$2396
18 km or 11 mi Evanston
$2202
19 km or 12 mi Skokie
$2300
19 km or 12 mi Burbank
$2449
20 km or 12 mi Melrose Park
$2418
21 km or 13 mi Oak Lawn
$2443
22 km or 14 mi Morton Grove
$2381
22 km or 14 mi Niles
$2408
23 km or 14 mi Park Ridge
$2466
23 km or 14 mi Wilmette
$2295
25 km or 16 mi Blue Island
$2439
26 km or 16 mi Elmhurst
$2454
27 km or 17 mi Glenview
$2433
28 km or 17 mi Des Plaines
$2521
28 km or 18 mi Dolton
$2438
29 km or 18 mi Villa Park
$2475
30 km or 19 mi Harvey
$2434
30 km or 19 mi East Chicago
$1906
30 km or 19 mi Westmont
$2411
31 km or 19 mi Calumet
$2440
31 km or 20 mi South Holland
$2425
32 km or 20 mi Lombard
$2503
32 km or 20 mi Hammond
$1889
32 km or 20 mi Oak Forest
$2438
33 km or 20 mi Northbrook
$2415
33 km or 20 mi Mount Prospect
$2477
33 km or 20 mi Darien
$2434
33 km or 21 mi Elk Grove Village
$2525
34 km or 21 mi Downers Grove
$2354
35 km or 22 mi Orland Park
$2421
36 km or 22 mi Lansing
$2412
36 km or 22 mi Glen Ellyn
$2311
37 km or 23 mi Highland Park
$2398
37 km or 23 mi Munster
$1862
37 km or 23 mi Tinley Park
$2425
37 km or 23 mi Wheeling
$2434