The basket for a decent living has become more expensive: A family with two children needs 11,668 lei per month for a minimally decent living in Romania

A family made up of two adults and two children needs 11,668 lei per month in 2026 for a minimally decent standard of living, according to an update conducted by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation Romania and Syndex Romania. The amount is 298 lei, or 2.6%, higher than in 2025.

The calculation was based on the price indices reported by the National Institute of Statistics for September 2026, compared with the same period of the previous year. For a family with two adults and one child, the estimated need is 9,574 lei per month, while for two adults without children it is 7,150 lei. A single adult needs 4,407 lei per month, while the net minimum wage is 2,699 lei.

For a family with two children, the largest expense is housing, at 3,105 lei, followed by food, at 2,429 lei, and clothing and footwear, at 1,143 lei. Savings are estimated at 1,061 lei, while education and culture account for 921 lei. The largest annual increases were recorded in healthcare, education and culture, services, and housing expenses.

The analysis also estimates a “decent minimum wage” of 5,542 lei net, equivalent to 9,473 lei gross. The average net wage calculated for 2026, at 5,450 lei, covers 98.3% of this level. In contrast, the authors say that the minimum wage could reach the level considered decent only around 2050, in an optimistic scenario, or as late as 2075, in a realistic scenario.