Beer & Food Prices in Bucharest and Romania (2023 Update)

Since food is one of the main expenses each month for us – and also an important expense if you just travel for a short time to a new country, I have decided to share with you today the food prices in Romania, as well as the price of beer in Romania.

Each year, I update the article regarding the cost of living in the Romania – so make sure to check that out as well, as it paints a clearer picture of how much you should budget for a long term stay in the country.

But today, we have a more in-depth look at food prices here, as well as the price of beer (and wine, why not?)

Romania is still a cheap country when it comes to all food items, with many of them – usually the locally produced ones – being much cheaper than those in Western countries.

However, I did find out that in some cases, food items can be just as expensive as they are in Spain, or even Germany and the likes.

But despite the fact that some foods are equally priced or more expensive here, overall, the total cost of your shopping basket is still very low as there are still plenty that are VERY cheap.

Recently, as it happened all over the world, the inflation went high sky, increasing a lot the costs of all food items and everything else. Therefore, food items are today, on average, some 50% more than they were a couple of years ago.

You still have cheap options available, but usually this means that you have to go do for a supermarket’s brand and stay away from the fancier stuff.

Food prices throughout Romania in 2023

Please have in mind that the prices that I am listing below can be considered on the lower to average end: you might find products that are a bit cheaper, but you can also easily find higher priced ones too.

The estimates I am using below are based on my own experience shopping at Carrefour, which is one of the largest hypermarket brands in Romania.

It’s not the cheapest (like Lidl or Kaufland), but not the most expensive, like Mega Image, smaller Profi shops or other small stores.

The numbers below should be enough to give you at least a general idea regarding the food prices in Romania and Bucharest, as well as living proof that good beer is really cheap here.

Please Note: Prices in Romania are in Lei (the national currency) but I have exchanged that in Euros (at the rate of 5.00 Lei for 1 Euro) to keep things easier to follow.

Now let’s put the long intro aside and let’s check out the prices in Romania (and Bucharest) this year.

Basic grocery prices in Romania

Chicken thighs – 1 Kilo – 5 Euros
Chicken breast, skinless – 1 kilo – 6.20 Euros
Whole Chicken – 1 kg – 3 Euros
Pork leg, boneless – 1 kg – 4.8 Euros
Pork meat (minced) – 1 kg – 4.5 Eur

Note: I find it really strange to see that pork is now cheaper than chicken. Not sure if that will last, but at least in early 2023, this is the strange situation that I saw in stores.

Beef Sirloin – 1kg – 9.50 Euros
Salami, 1 bar (300 grams) – 5.50 Euros
Turkey Ham (sliced, 150 grams) – 1.80 Eur
Bacon (sliced, 150 grams) – 2.00 Eur
Sausages, 1kg – 4.90 Euros

Mackerel (600g, frozen) – 4.50 Eur
Salmon (150g, smoked) – 4.00 Eur
Tuna (canned) – 2.00 Eur
Carp (fresh) – 3.9 Eur

Romanian butter — I think butter has tripled in price in the past few years

Milk, low fat, 1 liter – 1 Euro
Cottage cheese, 1 can (180 grams) – 0.95 Euros
Butter, 1 bar (200 grams) – 1.90 Euros
White Cheese, 1 kilo – 5.5 Euros
Cheese 1 kilo – 6.90 Euros
Eggs, 10-pack – 2.00 Euros

Sunflower oil (1 liter): 1.80 Eur
Olive oil (1 liter): 9.5 Eur (Extravirgin)
White Vinegar (1 liter): 0.7 Euros

Bread, 1 loaf – 0.95 Euros
Bread, sliced, 500 grams – 1.3 Euros
Corn Flakes, Plain, 500 grams bag – 1.25 Euros
Nestle Chocolate Cornflakes (425g bag): 1.90 Eur
Muesli & Chocolate, 500 grams box – 4.50 Euros
Coffee, 1 bag of 500 grams (decent coffee) – 4.20 Euros
Sugar, 1 kilo – 1.10 Euros
Brown sugar, 500 grams – 1.50 Euros

Spaghetti, 500 grams, Romanian brand – 0.75 Euros
White rice, 1 kilo – 1.15 Euros
White beans (dried), 1kg – 2.00 Eur
Can of beans – 0.9 Eur
Can of sweet corn – 0.9 Eur
White flour (1kg bag) – 0.80 Eur

Tomatoes, 1 kilo – 1.90 Eur
Potatoes, 1 kilo – 0.80 Euros
Mushrooms, 1 kilo – 3.00 Euros
Onions, 1 kilo – 1.00 Euros
Apples, 1 kilo – 1.00 Euros
Oranges, 1 kilo – 1.20 Euros
Bananas, 1 kilo – 1.4 Euro
Avocado (1 piece) – 1.00 Euros

NOTE: The prices for vegetables and fruits are usually higher during the off-season and lower otherwise and you can sometimes find cheaper options in local farmer markets (although that’s not always the case!)

Some products (like bananas) which are not locally grown have a similar price year-long, but you can always expect some impressive discounts or higher prices, depending on the time of shopping.

Price of Beer in Romania (and other drinks)

Have in mind that the prices below are for purchases from a supermarket, not bar or restaurant prices! (We’ll talk about those as well – read on to find them).

Beer, 1 bottle, 2 liter – 1.85 Euros
Local beer (500ml can) – 0.75 Euros
Heineken beer, six-pack – 4.90 Euros
Craft beer (330ml bottle) – 1.5 and above
Cheap Romanian Wine, 750ml bottle – 3.50 Euros
Better Romanian Wine, 750ml bottle – 6.00 Euros
1 bottle of Coca Cola, 2.5 liter – 1.30 Euros
1 jug of water, 5 liter – 1.25 Euro

Now let’s check out some fast food prices and bakery food costs

Hamburger – 2.50 Euros
Shaorma (this beast here) – 4.00 Euros
Big Mac – 2.10 Euros
Happy Meal – 2.25 Euros
One Pizza (Quatro Formaggi) – 5.50 Eur
Pretzel – 0.30 Eur
Merdenea (cheese pastry) – 0.60
Apple Strudel – 0.60

Restaurant food & drinks costs in Romania

Prices in restaurants vary a lot and sky’s the limit. However, here are some of the average prices you can expect if you don’t visit the fanciest places around, but not the cheapest, self-service type of restaurants either.

We’re talking about places where you would feel good, eat good and not overpay. Have in mind that these costs have risen A LOT during 2022, and they don’t seem to be ready to stop in 2023.

Breakfast (scrambled eggs and coffee) – 4.00 Euros
Daily menu (Soup, Main course and dessert, sometimes drink included) – 7 Euros
Full Lunch, lower priced restaurant (soup, main course, dessert and one beer) – 15.00 Euros
Full Lunch, more expensive restaurant – 25.00 Euros
Dinner – similar to the lunch costs

Bottle of beer (500ml) – Starting at 2.00 Euros
Soda – 1.80 Eur
Bottle of wine – Starting at 15 Euros
Glass of wine – Starting at 4 Euros
Coffee / Cappuccino – 2.20 Euros

Many people who work prefer, for example, to grab a pretzel as their breakfast and that’s as low as 0.30 Euros, so there are definitely a lot of options for you out there when it comes to eating.

The Romanian culture is generally aimed at optimizing costs, so if you choose to live like a Romanian, you can do so on the cheap.

Usually, bread, pastries, vegetables and local fruits are way cheaper than in most parts in Europe based on my research.

Cold cuts, all sorts of meats, including fish and seafood are similarly priced and sometimes more expensive than other parts of Europe. And, of course, beer is always cheap and tasty!

Food prices in restaurants and fast food joints are also lower compared to most of Europe as you can see above, but it’s not a rule that you will pay less.

I mean, for 10 Euros you can have a daily menu in many European countries… but in Romania, you can have it for half the price in some cases.

And the more time you spend here, the better you will get at keeping the costs low. After all, Romania is a country where you can still live a decent life on 1,000 Euros per month!

Check out my video!

If you prefer watching Youtube videos, we did a quick shopping haul video to show you what you can buy for 50 Euros in Romania. (Please have in mind that the video was shot in 2020 and most things are more expensive now)

We didn’t go to the best shop possible and didn’t really need a lot then, so it doesn’t paint the best picture, but it’s still a useful video:

Conclusion

The prices for food in Romania have been creeping up over the past years. Some of them have even doubled, pushed up by the inflation, but also the increase of salaries in the country and other factors.

Still, despite the higher costs for food and alcohol, Romanian remains a really cheap country overall and you will end spending on the same food a lot less than you would in the more expensive countries – US, UK, Canada, Australia, but also Germany, France and so on.

Even more, as you learn about your shop and the discounts they offer (usually through their dedicated mobile apps), you can plan ahead a little bit and save more money when grocery shopping here.

In stores like Lidl or Kaufland, for example, you will find some of the cheapest products in Romania but without losing much (if anything) in terms of quality.

Now, if you’re planning to travel for a short time here, make sure to also check out my previous guide on how much to budget for a trip to Romania. It will sure help you, especially if the money is tight.

Are there any other specific foods that you’d like to know the prices for? Let me know by sharing your comments bellow and feel free to share all your thoughts with me.

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Calin

Living in Romania for over 30 years, I am here to tell you everything you should know about this beautiful country. I hold a bachelor's degree in Journalism and I love sharing my travel advice with the world. Currently living in Constanta, Romania.