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Living Costs - Bucharest

 
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Mike_2007



Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 349
Location: Bucharest, Romania

PostPosted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 6:03 am    Post subject: Living Costs - Bucharest Reply with quote

As I get PMed for this kind of info from time to time I thought it might be a good idea to put it up on the forum for people's future reference. The prices are in Euro and are what I consider typical for the city (prices can vary a lot here, so it's all very 'ballpark'). These are for Feb 2008.

RENT

The three prices here represent three different areas of the city. The first is a low-class area where most expats wouldn't want to live, the middle one is typical semi-central, and the third upmarket.

Studio 250 - 400 - 550
One-bedroom apt. 350 - 500 - 700
Two-bedroom apt. 500 - 600 - 1000

BILLS

For a typical flat you'll have some or all of the following bills. These are based on my own experiences (one/two people both out to work during the day). Monthly unless stated.

Block expenses: 30-50 Euro
Heating: up to 40 Euro in winter
Electricity: 10-15 Euro
Phone: 10 Euro + call costs
Cable TV: 20 Euro (full packet)
Cable net (100Mbps): 15 Euro

Lots of providers have a 3-in-1 deal now: phone, net, cable TV. I think these come in at about 10-30 Euro per month plus calls, depending on TV package and net speed.

TRANSPORT

Local cab: 0.50 Euro/km
Bus/Tram/Trolleybus ticket (one journey): 0.30 Euro
Metro ticket (10 trips): 2.20 Euro
Bus/Tram/Trolley monthly travel card: 14 Euro
Bus/Tram/Trolley/Metro monthly travel card: 22 Euro
500 km Inter-city train trip: 1st class: 35 Euro, 2nd class: 25 Euro
Rental Car: 20-40 Euro a day

ENTERTAINMENT

Coffee in a cafe: 3-4 Euro
Beer from supermarket: 1 Euro
Beer in normal bar: 2 Euro
Beer in posh club: 3-5 Euro
Pizza: 5 Euro
McD meal (burger, coke, chips): 5 Euro
Lunch for one (plate of food, soft drink): 10 Euro
Meal for two in average restaurant with drinks: 50 Euro
Cinema ticket: 3-6 Euro
Cigarettes: 2 Euro

Generally, the food in the supermarkets is around the same as in the rest of the EU zone. Local markets are a little cheaper for fresh goods, but not considerably so. Most things you'd want can be found in Bucharest. There are lots of big supermarkets (Gima, Cora, Metro, Carrefour) on the outskirts normally and many smaller ones all over the city.

Hope this proves to be of some help.

Cheers,
Mike
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home

PostPosted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 3:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ON average, how much would you say you spend in a month?
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Mike_2007



Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 349
Location: Bucharest, Romania

PostPosted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I guess I spend about 350 Euro per month. That's for the bills, transport and food. I'm not including nights out or clothes. Also I'm not including rent as I have my own place here now.
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home

PostPosted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 3:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's good. YOu bought a place? Congrats.
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Mike_2007



Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 349
Location: Bucharest, Romania

PostPosted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 3:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks. Yes, in Nov 2006. It's only a two-room apartment but it's mine and I'm not stuck with a huge mortgage like I would be if I'd bought something back home. It's already gone up about 40'000 Euro in value...that's Romania for you.
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home

PostPosted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 3:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, that's great. We just bought ours last year. It's 80m2 and cost 25K, but we're completely gutting it and fixing it up and hoping to sell it for 40K. Do you need residence to buy places there?
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Mike_2007



Joined: 24 Apr 2007
Posts: 349
Location: Bucharest, Romania

PostPosted: Sat Feb 09, 2008 4:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you buy a flat you don't need residence, but if you want to buy a place with land then you need to have a company and buy it in the company name. This rule, as far as I know, still also applies to EU citizens, although it will be phased out in a few years.
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Bebsi



Joined: 07 Feb 2005
Posts: 958

PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

What Mike says about land ownership is basically correct. Foreigners can own buildings here, but not the land on which they are built. It is a senseles rule of course, a throwback to communism, but it's reality and what we have to work with.

In practice, the effect is that if you buy an apartment, you've nothing to worry about. However, if you wish to buy a house, you can own the house but not the land. Doesn't make much sense, does it, to own the house while someone else owns the land?

There is an easy solution, however, which is widely practised.

You incorporate a Romanian-registered company, which can be wholly owned by one person who may be a foreigner (i.e. yourself) and only needs a nominal share capital of 200 RON (around 54 euro) to be lodged in the bank. This company will be a Romanian person in the legal sense. You then buy the land and all buildings upon it in the company's name, and thus get around the problem very easily.

Anyone interested in doing this, PM me for more info.
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