Bucharest vs Chicago - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

Bucharest Chicago
🚶 Cost of living one person
$1116
$2799
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$2864
$6454
🏠 One person rent
$525
$1702
🏘️ Family rent
$907
$2727
🍽️ Food expenses
$389
$702
🚐 Transport expenses
$80
$204
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$1391
$5210
😷 Air quality
Moderate
Excellent
✈️ Airport proximity
12 km
15 km
🎓 Higher education
77
100
😀 Quality of life
81
97
🏙️ Population
1.72M
2.75M

The cost of living in Bucharest is 60% less expensive than in Chicago. Cities ranked 4913th and 394th ($1116 vs $2799) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 2nd and 338th 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 1.2 months in Bucharest compared to 1.9 months in Chicago. Bucharest ranked 1st best city to live in Romania vs Chicago ranked 2nd in the United States, while ranked 646th and 16th 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
$11.7
$19.2
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$54.8
$86.5
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$8.27
$12
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$3.41
$7.36
☕ Cappuccino
$3.45
$5.6
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$2.33
$2.99
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$576
$1993
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$376
$1414
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$1044
$3215
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$667
$2313
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$98.4
$108
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$153
$168
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$10.6
$64.8
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
7.28%
6.77%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$3651
$3645
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2102
$2499
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$1.15
$2.48
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$22.3
$74.8
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$6.02
$17
⛽ Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.68
$1.01
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.73
$1.08
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.16
$4.01
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.43
$4.93
🥚 Eggs, x12
$3.41
$5.3
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$9.89
$14.4
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$7.34
$14.3
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.4
$18.8
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.33
$5.04
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.74
$1.8
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.8
$4.11
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$2.68
$4.56
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1
$2.37
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.03
$2.76
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.59
$1.79
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$2.38
$3.14
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$8.07
$16.7
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.21
$2.81
🚬 Cigarette pack
$6.39
$16.5
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$8.09
$12.8
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$5.47
$7
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.81
$3.84
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$3.18
$2.14
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$47.8
$68.2
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$8.84
$17.1
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$61.8
$135
💇 Haircut, simple
$12.1
$28.7
👖 Brand Jeans
$79.4
$61.8
👟 Brand Sneakers
$92.7
$94.8
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$664
$2032
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$14350
$23423

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
$970
56 km or 35 mi Giurgiu
$910
60 km or 37 mi Ploiesti
$885
62 km or 39 mi Ruse
$777
77 km or 48 mi Targoviste
$802
77 km or 48 mi Alexandria
$692
102 km or 63 mi Buzau
$857
102 km or 63 mi Calarasi
$775
103 km or 64 mi Slobozia
$762
108 km or 67 mi Pitesti
$873
137 km or 85 mi Slatina
$675
143 km or 89 mi Shumen
$681
144 km or 90 mi Brasov
$1056
151 km or 94 mi Veliko Tarnovo
$752
156 km or 97 mi Ramnicu Valcea
$835
161 km or 100 mi Pleven
$667
164 km or 102 mi Sfantu Gheorghe
$712
168 km or 104 mi Dobrich
$789
168 km or 105 mi Focsani
$898
177 km or 110 mi Braila
$871
180 km or 112 mi Craiova
$909
181 km or 112 mi Gabrovo
$643
192 km or 119 mi Galati
$895
192 km or 119 mi Sliven
$591
198 km or 123 mi Varna
$1039
203 km or 126 mi Mamaia
$1024
205 km or 127 mi Constanta
$1103
216 km or 134 mi Yambol
$618
217 km or 135 mi Sibiu
$805
223 km or 138 mi Stara Zagora
$703
232 km or 144 mi Tulcea
$854
233 km or 145 mi Targu Jiu
$832
236 km or 146 mi Cahul
$926
237 km or 147 mi Barlad
$797
238 km or 148 mi Medias
$706
239 km or 148 mi Burgas
$848
243 km or 151 mi Vratsa
$766
251 km or 156 mi Bacau
$724
260 km or 161 mi Vidin
$668
267 km or 166 mi Targu Mures
$749

Cities near Chicago

Distance City Cost of living
11 km or 7 mi Cicero
$2384
14 km or 8.8 mi Berwyn
$2360
14 km or 8.9 mi Oak Park
$2396
16 km or 10 mi Elmwood Park
$2386
18 km or 11 mi Maywood
$2367
18 km or 11 mi Evanston
$2202
19 km or 12 mi Skokie
$2287
19 km or 12 mi Burbank
$2393
20 km or 12 mi Melrose Park
$2385
21 km or 13 mi Oak Lawn
$2399
22 km or 14 mi Morton Grove
$2366
22 km or 14 mi Niles
$2400
23 km or 14 mi Park Ridge
$2426
23 km or 14 mi Wilmette
$2288
25 km or 16 mi Blue Island
$2398
26 km or 16 mi Elmhurst
$2406
27 km or 17 mi Glenview
$2405
28 km or 17 mi Des Plaines
$2549
28 km or 18 mi Dolton
$2393
29 km or 18 mi Villa Park
$2413
30 km or 19 mi Harvey
$2395
30 km or 19 mi East Chicago
$2030
30 km or 19 mi Westmont
$2327
31 km or 19 mi Calumet
$2392
31 km or 20 mi South Holland
$2379
32 km or 20 mi Lombard
$2462
32 km or 20 mi Hammond
$2008
32 km or 20 mi Oak Forest
$2388
33 km or 20 mi Northbrook
$2399
33 km or 20 mi Mount Prospect
$2468
33 km or 20 mi Darien
$2363
33 km or 21 mi Elk Grove Village
$2495
34 km or 21 mi Downers Grove
$2268
35 km or 22 mi Orland Park
$2392
36 km or 22 mi Lansing
$2368
36 km or 22 mi Glen Ellyn
$2261
37 km or 23 mi Highland Park
$2392
37 km or 23 mi Munster
$1989
37 km or 23 mi Tinley Park
$2376
37 km or 23 mi Wheeling
$2426