Bucharest vs Chicago - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Bucharest Chicago
🚶 Cost of living one person
$988
$2678
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2566
$6655
🏠 One person rent
$474
$1596
🏘️ Family rent
$877
$2946
🍽️ Food expenses
$339
$700
🚐 Transport expenses
$67.6
$200
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1247
$4876
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Moderate
✈️ Airport proximity
12 km
15 km
🎓 Higher education
77
100
😀 Quality of life
79
95
🏙️ Population
1.72M
2.75M

The cost of living in Bucharest is 63% less expensive than in Chicago. Cities ranked 5565th and 529th ($988 vs $2678) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 3rd and 483rd 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 645th and 23rd among best cities to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in Bucharest vs Chicago infographic

Share this infographic!

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
$10.5
$21.9
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$44.7
$90.6
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$7.25
$12
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$2.9
$7
☕ Cappuccino
$3.01
$5.4
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.09
$2.95
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$520
$1841
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$337
$1327
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$999
$3729
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$658
$2474
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$90.8
$104
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$141
$159
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$9.28
$62.1
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
7.1%
6.68%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$3094
$3391
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$1793
$2689
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.63
$2.48
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$17.3
$75.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$5.57
$16.1
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.52
$1.06
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.6
$0.94
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$0.98
$3.68
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.35
$4.61
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.05
$4.13
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$8.55
$13.5
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$6.56
$14.2
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.9
$18.3
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.15
$4.67
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.62
$1.84
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.6
$4.36
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.05
$4.43
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.94
$2.18
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.89
$2.71
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.57
$1.81
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.01
$2.85
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$7.28
$14.9
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.12
$3.04
🚬 Cigarette pack
$5.84
$15
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$6.38
$11.5
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.93
$6.02
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.61
$3.63
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$3.03
$1.76
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$42.7
$63
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$7.92
$14.8
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$51.8
$127
💇 Haircut, simple
$10.4
$29.8
👖 Brand Jeans
$72.9
$59
👟 Brand Sneakers
$84
$94.4
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$569
$2114
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$11573
$24502

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

More cities to compare

Cost of Living in the nearest cities

Cities near Bucharest

Distance City Cost of living
13 km or 8.3 mi Voluntari
$867
56 km or 35 mi Giurgiu
$847
60 km or 37 mi Ploiesti
$796
62 km or 39 mi Ruse
$633
77 km or 48 mi Targoviste
$704
77 km or 48 mi Alexandria
$629
102 km or 63 mi Buzau
$729
102 km or 63 mi Calarasi
$696
103 km or 64 mi Slobozia
$722
108 km or 67 mi Pitesti
$743
137 km or 85 mi Slatina
$623
143 km or 89 mi Shumen
$622
144 km or 90 mi Brasov
$938
151 km or 94 mi Veliko Tarnovo
$731
156 km or 97 mi Ramnicu Valcea
$770
161 km or 100 mi Pleven
$594
164 km or 102 mi Sfantu Gheorghe
$680
168 km or 104 mi Dobrich
$702
168 km or 105 mi Focsani
$752
177 km or 110 mi Braila
$741
180 km or 112 mi Craiova
$848
181 km or 112 mi Gabrovo
$598
192 km or 119 mi Galati
$786
192 km or 119 mi Sliven
$631
198 km or 123 mi Varna
$892
203 km or 126 mi Mamaia
$929
205 km or 127 mi Constanta
$1002
216 km or 134 mi Yambol
$546
217 km or 135 mi Sibiu
$698
223 km or 138 mi Stara Zagora
$646
232 km or 144 mi Tulcea
$837
233 km or 145 mi Targu Jiu
$718
236 km or 146 mi Cahul
$812
237 km or 147 mi Barlad
$725
238 km or 148 mi Medias
$574
239 km or 148 mi Burgas
$721
243 km or 151 mi Vratsa
$687
251 km or 156 mi Bacau
$650
260 km or 161 mi Vidin
$605
267 km or 166 mi Targu Mures
$758

Cities near Chicago

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 7 mi Cicero
$2425
14 km or 8.8 mi Berwyn
$2421
14 km or 8.9 mi Oak Park
$2510
16 km or 10 mi Elmwood Park
$2426
18 km or 11 mi Maywood
$2444
18 km or 11 mi Evanston
$2194
19 km or 12 mi Skokie
$2256
19 km or 12 mi Burbank
$2401
20 km or 12 mi Melrose Park
$2418
21 km or 13 mi Oak Lawn
$2384
22 km or 14 mi Morton Grove
$2314
22 km or 14 mi Niles
$2334
23 km or 14 mi Park Ridge
$2389
23 km or 14 mi Wilmette
$2264
25 km or 16 mi Blue Island
$2377
26 km or 16 mi Elmhurst
$2392
27 km or 17 mi Glenview
$2363
28 km or 17 mi Des Plaines
$2509
28 km or 18 mi Dolton
$2359
29 km or 18 mi Villa Park
$2393
30 km or 19 mi Harvey
$2360
30 km or 19 mi East Chicago
$1938
30 km or 19 mi Westmont
$2362
31 km or 19 mi Calumet
$2363
31 km or 20 mi South Holland
$2344
32 km or 20 mi Lombard
$2396
32 km or 20 mi Hammond
$1948
32 km or 20 mi Oak Forest
$2350
33 km or 20 mi Northbrook
$2378
33 km or 20 mi Mount Prospect
$2446
33 km or 20 mi Darien
$2369
33 km or 21 mi Elk Grove Village
$2506
34 km or 21 mi Downers Grove
$2342
35 km or 22 mi Orland Park
$2367
36 km or 22 mi Lansing
$2342
36 km or 22 mi Glen Ellyn
$2227
37 km or 23 mi Highland Park
$2345
37 km or 23 mi Munster
$1954
37 km or 23 mi Tinley Park
$2351
37 km or 23 mi Wheeling
$2371