For students in Bucharest, lunch can take up a surprisingly large part of the monthly budget. University canteens remain one of the cheapest ways to get a hot meal, but prices vary significantly across the capital — and the comparison becomes even more interesting when Bucharest is placed alongside other major university cities in Romania.

From Cluj-Napoca and Iași to Galați, students can find university meals at very different prices. Meanwhile, a shawarma or a fast-food meal in Bucharest can easily cost two or three times as much as lunch at a university canteen.

How much does lunch cost at Bucharest university canteens?

There is no single price for a student meal in Bucharest. Each university has its own canteen system, menus and prices, while the final cost also depends on what the student chooses to eat.

At the Bucharest University of Economic Studies (ASE), students can find individual dishes at very low prices, with soups, main courses and side dishes generally costing only a few RON each. A complete meal can therefore remain well below the price of eating at a fast-food restaurant, depending on the combination chosen.

The University of Bucharest also operates a student canteen at the Mihail Kogălniceanu campus, near the Faculty of Law. The university offers meals at reduced prices for students, although the exact cost varies according to the menu.

has several university canteens across its campuses, giving students multiple options for an inexpensive hot meal. Prices vary depending on the location and menu.

The important point is that there is no standard “Bucharest student meal price”. A lunch can cost just a few RON if a student chooses individual inexpensive dishes, while a more substantial meal can go above 20 RON.

How does Bucharest compare with other university cities?

Bucharest is not the only Romanian city where students have access to inexpensive university meals. In some cases, prices in other university centres are similarly low or even lower.

At the Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Cluj-Napoca, for example, the student menu is around 10 RON in 2026. Other meal combinations are also available at different prices.

In Iași, the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University offers inexpensive meals through its student canteen. Depending on the dishes chosen, a three-course lunch can cost around 10 RON.

Galați also offers discounted meals for students. Some university canteen prices are considerably lower than what a student would pay for a similar meal in a restaurant or fast-food establishment.

This means that Bucharest is not automatically the most expensive place for university food — but the wider city environment makes the comparison particularly interesting. Students in the capital have an enormous number of alternatives just outside the campus, from shawarma shops and bakeries to fast-food chains and delivery services.

Bucharest canteen vs. shawarma

This is where the difference becomes much more obvious.

A standard shawarma in Bucharest can cost roughly 25–40 RON, while larger portions, beef options or meals served on a plate can reach 45–50 RON or more.

That can mean the difference between one inexpensive university lunch and two or even three times that amount for a meal bought outside campus.

For a student who buys lunch outside almost every day, the difference adds up quickly.

If a student spends 35 RON on lunch five days a week, that is around 700 RON over four weeks. At 15 RON per meal, the same number of lunches would cost around 300 RON.

The difference is about 400 RON — before adding drinks, delivery fees or snacks.

What about fast food?

Fast food is another common alternative for students in Bucharest.

A complete meal at a major fast-food chain generally costs several dozen RON, depending on the restaurant, menu and promotions. This puts it considerably above the price of many university canteen meals.

For students who are eating on a tight budget, the difference between spending 10–15 RON at a university canteen and 30–40 RON on fast food becomes significant when repeated several times a week.

This is also where Bucharest differs from smaller university cities: students in the capital have a much wider range of food options within walking distance of many campuses, but that convenience can make it easier to spend more.

Is cooking at home cheaper?

Cooking at home can offer another way to keep food costs under control, but there is no single monthly figure that applies to every student.

The cost depends on what someone eats, how often they shop, whether they buy meat and fresh produce regularly, and how much food is wasted.

As a national benchmark, the minimum monthly cost of a decent standard of living for a single adult in Romania was estimated at around 4,322 RON in September 2025. This figure covers far more than food, however, including housing, clothing, healthcare, transport, education and other expenses.

For a student who cooks simple meals, shops carefully and takes advantage of supermarket discounts, the food budget can be considerably lower than for someone who regularly eats out.

But unlike university canteen prices, there is no official national figure showing exactly how much the average student spends on groceries each month.

Bucharest vs. other student cities: a quick comparison

How can students in Bucharest spend less?

The easiest way to cut food costs is to make the university canteen the default option for at least some meals during the week.

It is also worth checking the menu before going to the canteen. Buying a complete meal can sometimes be cheaper than choosing several dishes separately.

Students should also check whether their university offers special discounts, subsidised meals or other forms of financial support.

And when eating outside campus, comparing prices between nearby restaurants can make a noticeable difference. A few RON saved per meal may not seem significant, but over 20 or 30 meals, the difference becomes much more substantial.

The bottom line

For students in Bucharest, university canteens remain one of the few ways to eat a hot meal for around 10–20 RON or, in some cases, even less.

The comparison with other university cities shows that Bucharest is part of a broader Romanian landscape where student canteens can offer surprisingly inexpensive meals. Cluj-Napoca and Iași, for example, also have university meals around the 10-RON mark, while some discounted options in other cities can be even cheaper.

The real difference appears when the alternative is not another canteen, but the food available around campus. A shawarma can cost 25–40 RON, a large portion can go beyond 45 RON, and a fast-food meal can easily reach several dozen RON.

For a student in Bucharest, the choice between the university canteen, cooking at home and eating out can therefore mean a difference of hundreds of RON over the course of a month.

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