Authored by the expert who managed and guided the team behind the Romania Property Pack
Yes, the analysis of Bucharest's property market is included in our pack
If you're a foreigner thinking about buying an apartment in Bucharest, you're probably wondering what prices really look like on the ground in early 2026.
We've put together this guide to give you clear, honest numbers based on the freshest data available, so you can plan your budget with confidence.
We constantly update this blog post to reflect the latest market conditions in Bucharest.
And if you're planning to buy a property in this place, you may want to download our pack covering the real estate market in Bucharest.
Insights
- The gap between Bucharest's priciest and cheapest sectors reaches roughly €1,000 per square meter, meaning location alone can swing your total apartment cost by €50,000 to €70,000.
- New-build apartments in Bucharest carry a 10% to 15% premium over resale units, but VAT rules changed in August 2025 and can add up to 21% on top of the listed price for certain properties.
- Bucharest's north neighborhoods like Primăverii and Herăstrău can cost nearly double per square meter compared to southern areas like Berceni or Rahova.
- Foreign buyers in Bucharest typically need a 25% to 35% down payment because Romanian banks treat non-resident income documentation more cautiously.
- HOA fees in Bucharest range from €50 to €180 monthly, with newer buildings often charging more due to security, concierge, and shared facility costs.
- Heating costs in Bucharest vary dramatically depending on whether your apartment uses district heating or its own gas boiler, making this one of the biggest wildcards in your monthly budget.
- Closing costs for resale apartments in Bucharest typically run 2% to 3.5% of the purchase price, but buyer-side agent fees can push this to 5%.
- Property tax on Bucharest apartments usually amounts to just a few hundred lei per year, making it one of the smallest recurring expenses compared to utilities and HOA fees.
How much do apartments really cost in Bucharest in 2026?
What's the average and median apartment price in Bucharest in 2026?
As of January 2026, the average apartment price in Bucharest sits around €2,050 per square meter (roughly 10,250 RON or $2,150 USD), while the median price is slightly lower at approximately €1,950 per square meter (about 9,750 RON or $2,050 USD).
To put this into perspective, a typical 60-square-meter apartment in Bucharest would cost you somewhere between €117,000 and €123,000 (585,000 to 615,000 RON, or $123,000 to $129,000 USD) before any additional fees.
Most standard apartments in Bucharest fall within a price range of €1,600 to €2,600 per square meter (8,000 to 13,000 RON, or $1,680 to $2,730 USD), with the variation depending heavily on neighborhood, building age, and condition.
How much is a studio apartment in Bucharest in 2026?
As of January 2026, a typical studio apartment in Bucharest costs between €70,000 and €85,000 (350,000 to 425,000 RON, or $73,500 to $89,000 USD).
Entry-level to mid-range studio apartments in Bucharest start around €55,000 to €75,000 (275,000 to 375,000 RON, or $58,000 to $79,000 USD), while high-end or luxury studios in prime northern neighborhoods can reach €100,000 to €130,000 (500,000 to 650,000 RON, or $105,000 to $137,000 USD).
Studio apartments in Bucharest, locally called "garsoniere," typically measure between 35 and 40 square meters, which is standard for the Romanian market and slightly smaller than what you might find in Western European capitals.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Bucharest in 2026?
As of January 2026, a typical one-bedroom apartment in Bucharest costs between €90,000 and €115,000 (450,000 to 575,000 RON, or $94,500 to $121,000 USD).
Entry-level to mid-range one-bedroom apartments in Bucharest generally fall between €80,000 and €110,000 (400,000 to 550,000 RON, or $84,000 to $116,000 USD), while high-end or luxury one-bedroom units in neighborhoods like Herăstrău or Floreasca can reach €140,000 to €180,000 (700,000 to 900,000 RON, or $147,000 to $189,000 USD).
One-bedroom apartments in Bucharest typically measure between 45 and 55 square meters, which gives you enough space for a separate living area and a comfortable bedroom.
How much is a two-bedroom apartment in Bucharest in 2026?
As of January 2026, a typical two-bedroom apartment in Bucharest costs between €130,000 and €155,000 (650,000 to 775,000 RON, or $137,000 to $163,000 USD).
Entry-level to mid-range two-bedroom apartments in Bucharest range from €115,000 to €150,000 (575,000 to 750,000 RON, or $121,000 to $158,000 USD), while high-end or luxury two-bedroom apartments in prime areas like Aviației or Primăverii can reach €200,000 to €280,000 (1,000,000 to 1,400,000 RON, or $210,000 to $294,000 USD).
By the way, you will find much more detailed price ranges for apartments in our property pack covering the property market in Bucharest.
How much is a three-bedroom apartment in Bucharest in 2026?
As of January 2026, a typical three-bedroom apartment in Bucharest costs between €170,000 and €210,000 (850,000 to 1,050,000 RON, or $179,000 to $221,000 USD).
Entry-level to mid-range three-bedroom apartments in Bucharest generally range from €155,000 to €200,000 (775,000 to 1,000,000 RON, or $163,000 to $210,000 USD), while high-end or luxury three-bedroom apartments in prestigious neighborhoods can reach €300,000 to €450,000 (1,500,000 to 2,250,000 RON, or $315,000 to $473,000 USD).
Three-bedroom apartments in Bucharest typically measure between 85 and 100 square meters, making them suitable for families who need dedicated space for children or a home office.
What's the price gap between new and resale apartments in Bucharest in 2026?
As of January 2026, new-build apartments in Bucharest carry a premium of roughly 10% to 15% compared to resale apartments, which translates to about €300 more per square meter.
New-build apartments in Bucharest average around €2,430 per square meter (12,150 RON or $2,550 USD), reflecting modern finishes, better energy efficiency, and newer building systems.
Resale apartments in Bucharest average around €2,130 per square meter (10,650 RON or $2,240 USD), though you should factor in potential renovation costs that could narrow or widen this gap depending on the property's condition.
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Can I afford to buy in Bucharest in 2026?
What's the typical total budget (all-in) to buy an apartment in Bucharest in 2026?
As of January 2026, the typical all-in budget to buy a standard apartment in Bucharest runs about €125,000 to €160,000 (625,000 to 800,000 RON, or $131,000 to $168,000 USD) for a two-bedroom unit when you include all closing costs.
Beyond the purchase price, your all-in budget in Bucharest should include notary fees, land registry costs, official document fees, potential translator costs if you're a foreigner, and possibly an agent fee if you use one on the buyer side.
We go deeper and try to understand what costs can be avoided or minimized (and how) in our Bucharest property pack.
You can also read our dedicated blog article to understand what you can at different budget levels in Bucharest.
What down payment is typical to buy in Bucharest in 2026?
As of January 2026, the typical down payment in Bucharest ranges from 20% to 30% of the purchase price, which means €24,000 to €45,000 (120,000 to 225,000 RON, or $25,200 to $47,300 USD) for a standard €120,000 to €150,000 apartment.
Most Romanian banks require a minimum down payment of 15% to 20% for residents, but foreign buyers often face stricter requirements of 25% to 35% due to income documentation complexity and currency considerations.
To secure the most favorable mortgage terms in Bucharest, a down payment of 25% to 30% is recommended because it typically unlocks better interest rates and smoother approval processes.
You can also read our latest update about mortgage and interest rates in Romania.
We made this infographic to show you how property prices in Romania compare to other big cities across the region. It breaks down the average price per square meter in city centers, so you can see how cities stack up. It’s an easy way to spot where you might get the best value for your money. We hope you like it.
Which neighborhoods are cheapest or priciest in Bucharest in 2026?
How much does the price per m² for apartments vary by neighborhood in Bucharest in 2026?
As of January 2026, apartment prices per square meter in Bucharest range from about €1,560 (7,800 RON or $1,640 USD) in the cheapest areas to roughly €2,600 (13,000 RON or $2,730 USD) in the most expensive neighborhoods.
The most affordable neighborhoods in Bucharest include Sector 4 areas like Berceni, Rahova, and parts of Giurgiului, where prices typically hover around €1,550 to €1,700 per square meter (7,750 to 8,500 RON, or $1,630 to $1,790 USD).
The most expensive neighborhoods in Bucharest are concentrated in Sector 1, including Primăverii, Herăstrău, Aviației, and Floreasca, where prices reach €2,400 to €2,800 per square meter (12,000 to 14,000 RON, or $2,520 to $2,940 USD).
By the way, we've written a blog article detailing what are the current best areas to invest in property in Bucharest.
What neighborhoods are best for first-time buyers on a budget in Bucharest in 2026?
As of January 2026, the best neighborhoods for first-time buyers on a budget in Bucharest are Drumul Taberei, Militari, and Titan (also known as Balta Albă), all of which offer good transport links and plenty of apartment stock.
In these budget-friendly Bucharest neighborhoods, you can expect apartment prices ranging from €85,000 to €130,000 (425,000 to 650,000 RON, or $89,000 to $137,000 USD) for a one or two-bedroom unit.
These neighborhoods offer first-time buyers in Bucharest good metro access, established local amenities like supermarkets and schools, and large pools of available listings which means you have more negotiating power.
The main trade-off of buying in these budget-friendly Bucharest neighborhoods is that they tend to have older building stock from the communist era, which may require renovations and can have less reliable heating infrastructure.
Which neighborhoods have the fastest-rising apartment prices in Bucharest in 2026?
As of January 2026, the neighborhoods with the fastest-rising apartment prices in Bucharest include Timpuri Noi and Tineretului-adjacent areas, Dimitrie Pompeiu near Pipera, and Bucureștii Noi in the northern part of the city.
These fast-appreciating Bucharest neighborhoods have seen estimated year-over-year price increases of 8% to 12%, outpacing the city-wide average of 5% to 7% growth.
The main driver behind rapid price growth in these Bucharest neighborhoods is infrastructure improvement and demand spillover, with Timpuri Noi benefiting from central access, Dimitrie Pompeiu from nearby office developments, and Bucureștii Noi from new residential projects and connectivity upgrades.
You can also read our latest update about property price forecasts in Bucharest.
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What extra costs will I pay on top of the apartment price in Bucharest in 2026?
What are all the buyer closing costs when you buy an apartment in Bucharest?
For a typical €120,000 apartment purchase in Bucharest, total buyer closing costs run approximately €2,400 to €4,200 (12,000 to 21,000 RON, or $2,520 to $4,400 USD), not including any agent fees.
The main categories of closing costs buyers must pay in Bucharest include notary fees, land registry and ANCPI registration fees, official document extracts, and translator or legalization costs if you're a foreign buyer.
The largest closing cost for buyers in Bucharest is typically the notary fee, which follows regulated tariff brackets based on the property's value and can account for half or more of your total closing costs.
Some closing costs in Bucharest are somewhat negotiable or variable, particularly agent fees if you use one on the buyer side, and translator costs which depend on how many documents need to be processed for your specific situation.
On average, how much are buyer closing costs as a percentage of the purchase price for an apartment in Bucharest?
Buyers in Bucharest should typically budget 2% to 3.5% of the purchase price for closing costs on a resale apartment, or 3% to 5% if you include a buyer-side agent fee.
The realistic low-to-high percentage range for closing costs in Bucharest spans from about 2% for straightforward resale transactions with no agent to as much as 6% if you're buying a new build where VAT and additional documentation costs apply.
We actually cover all these costs and strategies to minimize them in our pack about the real estate market in Bucharest.
We did some research and made this infographic to help you quickly compare rental yields of the major cities in Romania versus those in neighboring countries. It provides a clear view of how this country positions itself as a real estate investment destination, which might interest you if you’re planning to invest there.
What are the ongoing monthly and yearly costs of an apartment in Bucharest in 2026?
What are typical HOA fees in Bucharest right now?
HOA fees, locally called "întreținere," are common in Bucharest and typically range from €50 to €180 per month (250 to 900 RON, or $53 to $189 USD) depending on your building.
Basic older buildings in Bucharest usually charge €50 to €80 per month (250 to 400 RON, or $53 to $84 USD), while newer complexes with security, concierge services, maintained common areas, and multiple elevators often charge €100 to €180 per month (500 to 900 RON, or $105 to $189 USD).
What utilities should I budget monthly in Bucharest right now?
Total monthly utility costs for a typical apartment in Bucharest run approximately €100 to €200 (500 to 1,000 RON, or $105 to $210 USD), though this varies significantly by season due to heating costs.
The realistic range of monthly utilities in Bucharest spans from about €75 in warmer months (375 RON or $79 USD) to €250 or more in winter (1,250 RON or $263 USD), depending on your apartment size and heating system.
Typical monthly utilities in Bucharest include electricity at €30 to €70 (150 to 350 RON), water and sewer at €15 to €35 (75 to 175 RON), heating which varies widely by system, and internet which is relatively affordable by European standards.
Heating is typically the most expensive utility for Bucharest apartment owners, and costs depend heavily on whether your building uses district heating from Termoenergetica or has individual gas boilers, with district heating often spiking dramatically in winter months.
How much is property tax on apartments in Bucharest?
Annual property tax on a typical apartment in Bucharest usually amounts to a few hundred lei per year, roughly €30 to €150 (150 to 750 RON, or $32 to $158 USD) for most standard units.
Property tax in Bucharest is calculated using a rate of 0.08% to 0.2% applied to a taxable value determined by local authorities, which is typically lower than the market value of your apartment.
The realistic range of annual property tax in Bucharest spans from about €25 for smaller, older apartments (125 RON or $26 USD) to €200 for larger, newer, or more valuable properties (1,000 RON or $210 USD).
If you want to go into more details, we also have a blog article detailing all the property taxes and fees in Bucharest.
What's the yearly building maintenance cost in Bucharest?
Yearly building maintenance costs for apartment owners in Bucharest typically run €200 to €800 (1,000 to 4,000 RON, or $210 to $840 USD), covering routine upkeep and reserve fund contributions.
The realistic range spans from about €150 per year for well-maintained newer buildings (750 RON or $158 USD) to €1,000 or more for older buildings facing major repairs (5,000 RON or $1,050 USD), plus occasional special assessments.
Building maintenance costs in Bucharest typically cover elevator servicing, common area cleaning, minor repairs, stairwell lighting, and contributions to a reserve fund for larger future expenses like facade work or pipe replacements.
In most Bucharest buildings, routine maintenance costs are included within your monthly HOA fee, but major repairs like roof replacement, facade rehabilitation, or elevator overhaul often trigger separate one-time special contributions from all owners.
How much does home insurance cost in Bucharest?
Annual home insurance costs for a Bucharest apartment typically total €70 to €225 (350 to 1,125 RON, or $74 to $237 USD) when combining mandatory disaster coverage with optional comprehensive insurance.
The realistic range spans from about €10 to €25 per year for mandatory disaster insurance only (50 to 125 RON, or $11 to $26 USD) up to €200 or more for comprehensive optional coverage (1,000 RON or $210 USD) that includes theft, water damage, and liability.
Home insurance in Bucharest has a mandatory component called PAD, which covers natural disasters like earthquakes and floods at a low annual cost, while optional insurance is not legally required but is often demanded by banks if you have a mortgage.
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What sources have we used to write this blog article?
Whether it's in our blog articles or the market analyses included in our property pack about Bucharest, we always rely on the strongest methodology we can and we don't throw out numbers at random.
We also aim to be fully transparent, so below we've listed the authoritative sources we used, and explained how we used them and the methods behind our estimates.
| Source | Why it's authoritative | How we used it |
|---|---|---|
| Imobiliare.ro Price Index | Romania's largest real estate portal with a long-running, documented price index. | We used it as our primary asking price benchmark for Bucharest apartments. We also used its new versus resale split to calculate the typical premium for new builds. |
| Imobiliare.ro Index Methodology | The index owner explaining exactly how prices are calculated. | We used it to understand what the index measures and to justify applying a negotiation discount when estimating actual paid prices. |
| SonarHome Bucharest | A structured analytics site publishing monthly price estimates by location. | We used it as an independent anchor for January 2026 pricing and to capture sector-level price variation across Bucharest. |
| Storia Market Recap | OLX Group's property platform with dataset-backed market updates. | We used it to triangulate price growth direction and pace, and to understand demand patterns specific to Bucharest. |
| ANCPI Transaction Data | Romania's national cadastre authority with official transaction reporting. | We used it to ground our analysis in actual transaction volumes, confirming that rising prices align with meaningful market activity. |
| Eurostat Housing Price Index | The EU's official statistical authority defining cross-country price methodology. | We used it to benchmark Romania's housing growth against EU trends and as a methodological reference for new versus existing dwelling concepts. |
| FRED Romania Property Prices | St. Louis Fed platform repackaging BIS indicators for international comparison. | We used it to confirm the medium-term direction of Romanian residential prices with an internationally comparable index. |
| Colliers Romania Residential Report | A top-tier global consultancy with clear research standards. | We used it to add context on supply constraints and financing conditions, and to explain why Bucharest prices behave the way they do. |
| Cushman & Wakefield Echinox | Global consultancy with Romanian market research on premium segments. | We used it to frame the north Bucharest premium market and to explain why supply is tight in high-end neighborhoods. |
| Ministry of Justice Notary Tariffs | Romania's official legislative portal with legal basis for notary fees. | We used it to anchor that notary fees follow regulated tariff norms and to justify using percentage-based fee ranges in our closing costs section. |
| ANAF VAT Guidance (Aug 2025) | Romania's national tax authority with official guidance on housing VAT. | We used it to precisely describe VAT treatment for new builds and the transitional 9% conditions that apply in early 2026. |
| Ministry of Finance Building Tax Guide | The Ministry explaining how building tax is calculated under Romanian rules. | We used it to state the legal tax rate range for residential buildings and to convert rate ranges into practical yearly budgets. |
| Apa Nova București Tariffs | The official utility provider for Bucharest water and wastewater. | We used it to build a realistic water and sewer budget line item based on official rates rather than estimates. |
| ANRE Electricity Tariffs | Romania's energy regulator with official network tariff information. | We used it to explain that part of your electricity bill is regulated network tariffs, justifying our conservative monthly electricity range. |
| ANCPI ePay Services | Official government portal for land registry document services. | We used it to show that due diligence documents like land registry extracts are official and typically low-cost items. |
| PAID/PAD Insurance Explainer | A structured explanation of Romania's mandatory disaster insurance system. | We used it to explain the existence and purpose of mandatory coverage and to support a realistic annual insurance budget. |
| Romanian Condominium Law (196/2018) | The primary legal text governing homeowner associations in Romania. | We used it to explain what HOA fees cover and why they vary between buildings, and to build a checklist of questions to ask before buying. |
| Imobiliare.ro Neighborhood Analysis | Romania's largest portal with detailed analysis of neighborhood trends. | We used it to identify which Bucharest neighborhoods are priciest, cheapest, and fastest-growing based on 2025 data. |
We created this infographic to give you a simple idea of how much it costs to buy property in different parts of Romania. As you can see, it breaks down price ranges and property types for popular cities in the country. We hope this makes it easier to explore your options and understand the market.
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