Bucharest is the capital and largest city of Romania, a Danube-plain metropolis of about 1.7 million people known for the monumental Palace of the Parliament, a revived medieval Old Town, grand Calea Victoriei and its belle epoque 'Little Paris' boulevards. It combines Ottoman-era inns, Brancovenesc churches, interwar villas and communist-era blocks with a lively cafe, bar and live-music scene.
Local currency: Romanian leu (RON, plural lei).
Daily budget by traveller style
Typical per-person daily spend in Bucharest.
- Mid-range
- 650 lei/day ($141)
- Luxury
- 1,700+ lei/day ($370+)
Cost breakdown
Typical price ranges across major spending categories.
Accommodation
- Hostel
- 60-100 lei ($13-22)
- Budget
- 200-320 lei ($43-70)
- Midrange
- 350-600 lei ($76-130)
- Luxury
- 800-1,800 lei ($174-391)
Food
- Street
- 10-25 lei ($2-5)
- Local
- 40-70 lei ($9-15)
- Midrange
- 100-180 lei ($22-39)
- Fine
- 300-600 lei ($65-130)
Transport
- Bus
- 5 lei per metro trip ($1.10); surface-transport fares are similar and set by the city, so check the STB fare board at the stop
- Taxi
- 20-40 lei ($4-9) for a short city ride with Bolt, Uber or FreeNow
- Airport
- 80-120 lei ($17-26) by app taxi from Henri Coanda Airport to the centre; about 5-10 lei ($1-2) by express bus 780 or 783
- Daytrip
- 40-90 lei ($9-20) by CFR train to Sinaia or Brasov (second class)
Activities
- Museum
- 20-40 lei ($4-9)
- Sites
- 20-80 lei ($4-17)
- Tour
- 100-250 lei ($22-54)
- Excursion
- 200-450 lei ($43-98)
Trip budgets by length
What a typical trip to Bucharest costs end-to-end.
Weekend escape
A short city break covering essentials and a few highlights.
One-week tour
Comfortable pace including major attractions and day trips.
Two-week explorer
In-depth exploration covering multiple regions.
Money-saving tips
Practical ways to stretch your budget further.
Travel in shoulder season — fewer crowds and significantly lower accommodation rates.
Use public transport instead of taxis where possible. Day passes often pay for themselves after 3 trips.
Eat where locals eat — markets and neighbourhood eateries offer better food at a fraction of tourist-strip prices.
Book accommodation with kitchen access for longer stays so you can self-cater some meals.