Being a student in Bucharest isn’t just about classes and exams — it means juggling rising expenses every day, making compromises between comfort and budget, holding on to the dream of independence while facing the reality of bills. I spoke with students living with roommates, checked with landlords, scrolled through listings, and here’s what it really costs to be a student in the Capital if you don’t want to scrape by.

Rent and housing

Rent is by far the biggest expense. It depends a lot on the neighborhood, the condition of the apartment, its size, and how many people you share it with:

• For a decent studio near the metro, with acceptable utilities, prices start at around €350–380 per month. If you want a new building with better finishes, it can climb to €450–500.
• Sharing a two-bedroom apartment with roommates brings the cost per person down significantly — though it comes with compromises on space and privacy.
• Smaller studios in less central areas can be cheaper — but they often mean higher utilities, longer commutes, and less comfort.
• Student dorms are by far the cheapest option, just a few hundred lei a month — but conditions are not always great, and places are limited.

Transport

Transport won’t ruin you, but recent changes matter:

• An integrated metro + bus/tram ticket now costs 7 lei (compared to 5 lei before) and is valid for 120 minutes.
• Integrated monthly passes (surface transport + metro) have also gone up, to around 160 lei per month.
• There are also 24-hour, 72-hour, and 7-day passes — worth checking if you travel a lot or want flexibility. As a student, always ask about discounts.

Food and daily expenses

This is where you either save money or burn through it. If you eat out all the time or give in to cravings, costs skyrocket fast.

• Cooking at home is the baseline. With meal planning and smart shopping, you can get by on 1,000–1,300 lei per month.
• If you eat out occasionally or order food, add coffees and snacks, the budget quickly climbs to 1,500–2,000 lei per month.
• Personal care, clothes, internet, and similar small things add another 300–500 lei per month, depending on your lifestyle.

Entertainment and activities

Student life without going out isn’t really student life — but not every outing has to cost much:

• A movie, a beer, a coffee, a small show: costs vary, but you can budget 100–300 lei per month if you don’t overdo it.
• Gym memberships vary widely depending on location and facilities — anywhere from 100–200 lei per month for a decent gym, more if you want something high-end.
• Special events, festivals, and big concerts: expect 100–200 lei per outing, and much more if you go often or want VIP access.

General estimate

Put everything together, and this is what it looks like: rent and utilities take 1,600–2,500 lei, depending on location and whether you share. Transport adds another 150–200 lei monthly. Food and daily needs (hygiene, small shopping) range from 1,200–1,600 lei, if you mostly cook at home. Entertainment and a gym membership cost at least 200–400 lei monthly, more if you’re active socially. And it’s wise to leave aside 300–500 lei for unexpected expenses — higher utility bills, clothes, emergencies.

All in all, a student living in Bucharest realistically needs a monthly budget of 3,500–5,000 lei, depending on lifestyle and how many compromises they’re willing to make.

How students make it work

I asked a few students about the strategies they use to cope, and here’s what came up:

• Living with roommates to split rent, utilities, and internet. It’s not ideal, but it saves hundreds of lei.
• Choosing housing farther from university/metro if the rent difference justifies the extra commuting time.
• Cooking at home and rarely ordering food. Planned shopping, local producers, and basic supermarkets help keep costs down.
• Making use of student discounts — for transport, cultural events, and gyms.
• Keeping a small emergency fund for unexpected costs — huge utility bills, sudden repairs, or other surprises.

Conclusion

Being a student in Bucharest in 2025 costs a lot more than it did for students 10–15 years ago, but it doesn’t mean going into debt or giving up on the things that make you happy. The truth is harsh: rent can eat up half your budget, transport has gotten more expensive, food isn’t cheap — but with smart choices, planning, and compromises in the less important areas, you can still live decently, even on a student budget.