The Cost of a Minimum Consumption Basket for a Decent Standard of Living in 2026

The monthly cost of the minimum consumption basket for a decent standard of living is:

• 11,668 lei for a family of two adults and two children (the reference family);

• 9,574 lei for a family of two adults and one child;

• 7,150 lei for a family of two adults without children;

• 4,407 lei for a single adult.

The basket’s value was updated using the price indices published by the Romanian National Institute of Statistics for September 2026, compared with September 2025.

Compared with 2025, the cost of the basket for the reference family has increased by 298 lei. This year’s overall increase is driven primarily by higher expenditure on clothing and footwear, housing, services, and education and culture.

By contrast, the cost of purchasing a home fell by 1.9%, reflecting a decrease in the average effective annual interest rate from 7.55% in September 2025 to 6.35% in September 2026. This reduction in interest rates more than offset both the significant increase in house prices (12.1% on average, according to Eurostat) and the depreciation of the Romanian leu against the euro (3.4%, according to data from the National Bank of Romania).

The Minimum Wage Required for a Decent Standard of Living

For a family of two working adults, both earning the minimum wage, and two children, the net monthly income required to maintain a decent standard of living is estimated at 5,542 lei.

Currently, Romania’s net minimum wage is 2,699 lei per month, equivalent to just 48.7% of the amount needed to achieve a decent standard of living.

The Average Wage Covers Almost All the Costs of a Decent Standard of Living

The average wage comes close to covering the costs associated with a minimum decent standard of living. In 2026, the average net monthly wage of 5,450 lei covers 98.3% of the amount required to achieve this standard.

For further information, please see the press release: Click to read the press release!