The average asking rent for a two-room apartment in Bucharest in June 2026, according to Anunțul Telefonic.
On a two-room apartment at €117,985, with a 30% deposit, at 6.5% over 25 years. For illustration, before insurance.
In the early years most of the payment is interest. The right comparison: rent versus interest and ownership costs.
A sale within three years is taxed at 3% of the transaction value, and after that 1%. Length of stay is the deciding variable.
Under BNR Regulation 17/2012, total repayments are limited to 40% of net income for a lei loan and 20% in foreign currency.
Rent or buy in Bucharest: the short answer
Anyone moving to Bucharest for at least three years, with a deposit and income the bank recognises, will find that the monthly payment on a comparable apartment is close to the rent. In June 2026 the average asking rent for a two-room apartment was €533, and the mortgage payment on such an apartment, at 70% financing and an interest rate of 6.5% over 25 years, about €558. Anyone unsure how long they will stay, or who needs flexibility, should rent. The calculation turns mainly on the length of stay.
Almost every family relocating to Bucharest asks me this question. And the honest answer starts with one sentence: renting buys flexibility, buying buys stability. The question is which of the two you need more.
What it costs to rent in Bucharest in 2026
According to Anunțul Telefonic data for June 2026, published on the official portal of the City of Bucharest, these are the average asking rents and sale prices:
| Property type | Average monthly rent | Average asking price per sq m |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | €350 | €2,205 |
| Two rooms | €533 | €2,251 |
| Three rooms | €751 | €2,185 |
| Four rooms and more | €1,399 | €2,442 |
| House or villa | €2,420 | €2,331 |
These are asking prices in listings, not transaction prices, and they include VAT. In the north of the city, near the international schools, rents are above average. The average asking price for a two-room apartment was €117,985.
The monthly calculation: rent versus mortgage payment
The payments are calculated with the annuity (French amortisation) formula, at an interest rate of 6.5% over 25 years, for illustration only. On the formula, see our article on calculating a mortgage payment in Romania.
| Scenario | Monthly rent | Loan | Monthly payment | Of which interest in the first month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two rooms, €117,985, 30% deposit | €533 | €82,590 | about €558 | about €447 |
| Two rooms, 15% deposit | €533 | €100,287 | about €677 | about €543 |
| Villa at €300,000, 70% financing | €2,420 (average for a house) | €210,000 | about €1,418 | about €1,138 |
Two things stand out in the table.
The first: in the early years most of the payment is interest. For the two-room apartment, the interest alone in the first month is close to the rent. In other words, the right comparison is not "rent versus payment" but "rent versus interest and ownership costs".
The second: for villas the gap is larger. The average rent for a house in Bucharest is much higher than the payment in the table's scenario. On the other hand, a villa requires a large deposit, and €90,000 sitting in a home is not somewhere else.
What the table does not show: ownership costs
The payment is only part of a homeowner's cost. You need to add:
- Entry costs. Notary and registration, about 1%-1.5% of the transaction value. On a €117,985 apartment, about €1,200 to €1,800. The breakdown is in our article on buying costs in Romania.
- Annual property tax, set by each local authority.
- Compulsory insurance and building insurance, required by the bank.
- Maintenance. When renting, a major repair is the landlord's problem. When owning, it is yours.
- The opportunity cost of the deposit: money that goes into the home is not available for other things.
And on the renting side: an agency fee at the start, a deposit, and above all uncertainty. The landlord can raise the rent or not renew the lease, just when the children have settled into school.
Length of stay: the deciding variable
Selling a property in Romania is taxed as a percentage of the transaction value, not of the profit: under Article 111 of Law 227/2015, 3% if you held it for up to three years, and 1% after that.
On a €117,985 apartment, selling after two years would cost about €3,540 in tax, plus the entry costs. Someone who lives in the apartment for two years and sells pays for the entry and the exit, while paying mostly interest in the meantime.
Renting buys flexibility, buying buys stability. The question is which of the two you need more.
Under three years, renting is almost always cleaner. Over five years, buying starts to be a serious question. And in between, it depends on you.
Who can actually get a mortgage
The calculation above assumes the bank will approve the loan. Under National Bank of Romania Regulation 17/2012, total repayments are limited to 40% of net income for a loan in lei, and to 20% for a foreign-currency loan. The minimum deposit for a loan in lei is 15%.
Someone who moves with a Romanian employment contract and earns in lei is assessed like a local borrower. Someone who continues to earn in shekels is assessed as a non-resident, and in practice usually receives 50%-70% financing. On this, see our article on the deposit in Romania.
And watch the exchange rate: income in shekels and a payment in lei or euros create a monthly exposure to the exchange rate.
The third way: rent first, buy later
Many families I work with choose this, and rightly so. A first year renting, to get to know the city, the route to school and the traffic. Then you buy, once you know where you want to live.
The price of this route: a year of rent, and an extra move. The advantage: the big decision is made with real information, not from a listing.
Who should rent, and who should buy
Renting suits people arriving on a two-year contract, people who do not yet know which side of the city they will work on and which school the children will attend, and people who have no free deposit without eating into their safety cushion.
Buying suits people planning five years or more, who know where they want to live, have stable income the bank recognises, and prefer to pay interest on their own home rather than rent on someone else's. Anyone looking for a home with a garden will find that the rental supply of villas is limited and expensive. On the differences, see our article on a villa or an apartment in Bucharest.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Bucharest in 2026?
According to Anunțul Telefonic, in June 2026 the average asking rent was €350 for a studio, €533 for two rooms, €751 for three rooms and €2,420 for a house or villa. In the north of the city prices are above average.
What is the monthly payment on a two-room apartment in Bucharest?
On an apartment at the average asking price, €117,985, with a 30% deposit and an interest rate of 6.5% over 25 years, the payment is about €558 a month, before insurance and fees. With a 15% deposit, about €677.
After how many years does buying make more sense than renting?
There is no single number. A sale within three years is taxed at 3% of the transaction value, and after that at 1%, and in the early years most of the payment is interest. So under three years renting is usually better, and over five years it is worth looking at buying seriously.
Can you get a mortgage in Romania with income from Israel?
Yes, on conditions. Non-residents with income from abroad usually receive 50%-70% financing, and total repayments are limited under BNR rules to a share of net income. Someone who works in Romania and earns in lei is assessed as a local borrower.
Is it worth renting first and buying later?
For most families, yes. A first year renting lets you get to know the neighbourhood, the school and the commute, and buy once the decision is well grounded. The price is a year of rent and an extra move.
The bottom line
In the Bucharest of 2026, the mortgage payment on an average apartment is close to the rent, but in the early years it is mainly interest. What decides is the length of stay, the deposit and certainty about where you want to live.
If you are at the planning stage, book a 30-minute call with me. We will build your calculation together, renting versus buying, with the real numbers. I will mention this once: in our project in Balotești, financing of up to 70% from a Romanian bank is available, subject to bank approval. And for the wider picture of the move, see our guide to relocating to Romania.
Moti Azulay, Compass Group Romania
Sources and data: City of Bucharest portal, the property market in June 2026 · Anunțul Telefonic · BNR Regulation 17/2012, Romanian legislation portal · Law 227/2015 (Fiscal Code), Article 111 · National Bank of Romania (BNR) · National Union of Public Notaries of Romania (UNNPR) · ANCPI · ANAF
This article is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. The calculations are formula calculations for illustration, before insurance and fees, and the prices are average asking prices. Interest rates and financing terms are set by each bank according to the borrower's profile.
Now you know more.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult local professionals before any transaction.
