How much did the apartments end up costing in May in Bucharest and in other cities in the country | Analysis History

• Old apartments in Bucharest are 520 euros/sqm more expensive than new ones
• Location, access to infrastructure and differences in price presentation explain the variations
• Currently, old apartments are three times more sought after than new ones

In May 2026, the differences between old and new apartments vary significantly from one city to another, from -9% in Oradea to +26% in Bucharest. In the Capital, old homes are 520 euros/m2 more expensive than new ones (2,535 euros/m2 vs. 2,015 euros/m2), and similar differences, of 149 euros/m2, can also be found in Iași (2,034 euros/m2 vs. 1,885 euros/m2). At the same time, in cities such as Oradea and Timișoara, new apartments exceed the prices of old ones, with differences of 183 euros/sq m and 105 euros/sq m, respectively, according to the average prices requested for 1-3 room apartments, in the ads published on History – the most visited real estate platform in Romania.

In the segment of new apartments, the highest percentage price increases, from one year to the next, were recorded in Constanța, Timișoara and Craiova (12%). For old apartments, the highest annual increases were 15% in Craiova, 14% in Bucharest and 12% in Timișoara. Compared to the previous month, prices remained largely stable for both new and old homes.

“We are increasingly seeing situations where old apartments reach similar or even higher prices than new ones, but most of the time the explanation is related to the location. Old houses are generally more central and better connected to the city's infrastructure: transport, schools, services, and this matters a lot in the purchase decision. In the same neighborhood, as a rule, new houses remain more expensive, but in certain cities, comparisons can show that old apartments are more expensive. On against the backdrop of these factors, interest in old homes remains high, especially in well-positioned areas, this being visible in cities such as Bucharest, Brașov or Timisoara, where old apartments are significantly more sought after than new ones. At the same time, in cities such as Cluj-Napoca, Iasi or Sibiu, interest in the two segments is closer. In fact, if a year ago old apartments generated approximately twice as many searches as new ones, currently the difference has increased old ones are sought after approximately three times more than new ones. This interest was also amplified by the recent fiscal changes, including the increase in VAT, which had a more visible impact on the new housing segment,” said Monica Dudău, Head of Marketing Real Estate Europe, OLX Group (History and OLX Real Estate in Romania).

To find out the approximate value of apartments for sale according to the type of housing, we have taken into account the legal minimum areas for studios and two- and three-room apartments, as mentioned in Annex 1 of Law 114 of October 11, 1996, also known as the “Housing Law”. Specifically, the legal minimum area is 37 square meters useful for a studio, 52 square meters for a two-room apartment and 66 square meters for a three-room apartment.

What are the prices of apartments for sale in the main cities in the country

BUCHAREST

The capital continues to record the biggest differences between old and new apartments. In May 2026, the average asking price was 2,015 euros/sq m for new apartments, 9% more than in May 2025 and 1% above the level of April 2026. For old apartments, the average price was 2,535 euros/sq m, up 14% year-on-year and 2% from the previous month.

Thus, a studio apartment in a new building costs approximately 74,568 euros, while an old one reaches 93,795 euros. For a two-room apartment, the price is 104,799 euros (new) and 131,820 euros (old), and for three rooms, 133,014 euros (new) and 167,310 euros (old).

BRAŞOV

In Brașov, the average asking price in May 2026 was 2,295 euros/sq m for new apartments, 4% more than in May 2025 and 1% below the April level, while old apartments had an average price of 2,383 euros/sq m, up 8% year-on-year and 2% compared to the previous month. The differences between the two segments remain small.

Compared to the minimum legal surfaces, a studio apartment in a new building costs approximately 84,920 euros, and an old one 88,171 euros. For a two-room apartment, the price is 119,347 euros (new) and 123,916 euros (old), and for three rooms, 151,479 euros (new) and 157,278 euros (old).

CLUJ-NAPOCA

Cluj-Napoca remains the most expensive city in the country. In May 2026, the average asking price was 3,310 euros/sqm for new apartments, 6% more compared to the same month last year and at a similar level to the previous month, namely 3,317 euros/sqm for old apartments, up 6% year-on-year.

A studio apartment in a new building costs approximately 122,458 euros, and an old one 122,729 euros. For two rooms, the price is 172,103 euros (new) and 172,484 euros (old), and for three rooms, 218,439 euros (new) and 218,922 euros (old).

CONSTANT

In Constanța, the average asking price in May 2026 was 2,141 euros/sqm for new apartments, 12% more than in May 2025 and 2% above the level of April, while old apartments reached 2,146 euros/sqm, up 9% year-on-year and 3% compared to the previous month. The differences are minimal between the two segments.

A studio apartment in a new building costs approximately 79,216 euros, and an old one 79,402 euros. For two rooms, the price is 111,331 euros (new) and 111,592 euros (old), and for three rooms, 141,305 euros (new) and 141,636 euros (old).

CRAIOVA

In Craiova, new apartments had an average price of 2,147 euros/sqm in May 2026, 12% more compared to May 2025 and at a similar level to the previous month, while old apartments reached 2,131 euros/sqm, up 15% year-on-year and 1% compared to April 2026.

A studio apartment in a new building costs approximately 79,449 euros, and an old one 78,847 euros. For two rooms, the price is 111,658 euros (new) and 110,812 euros (old), and for three rooms, 141,720 euros (new) and 140,646 euros (old).

IASI

In Iasi, the average asking price in May 2026 was 1,885 euros/sqm for new apartments, 10% more than in May 2025 and 1% below the level of the previous month, while old apartments reached 2,034 euros/sqm, up 6% year-on-year.

A studio apartment in a new building costs approximately 69,745 euros, and an old one 75,258 euros. For two rooms, the price is 98,021 euros (new) and 105,768 euros (old), and for three rooms, 124,411 euros (new) and 134,244 euros (old).

ORADEA

In Oradea, new apartments had an average price of 2,071 euros/sqm in May 2026, 11% more compared to May 2025 and at a similar level to the previous month, and the old ones 1,888 euros/sqm, increasing by 8% from one year to another.

A studio apartment in a new building costs approximately 76,617 euros, and an old one 69,856 euros. For two rooms, the price is 107,677 euros (new) and 98,176 euros (old), and for three rooms, 136,668 euros (new) and 124,608 euros (old).

SIBIU

In Sibiu, the average asking price in May 2026 was 2,011 euros/sq m for new apartments, 9% more than in May 2025 and 1% above the level of the previous month, while old apartments reached 2,009 euros/sq m, up 8% year-on-year.

A studio apartment in a new building costs approximately 74,407 euros, and an old one 74,333 euros. For two rooms, the price is 104,572 euros (new) and 104,468 euros (old), and for three rooms, 132,726 euros (new) and 132,594 euros (old).

TIMISOARA

In Timișoara, new apartments had an average price of 2,095 euros/sqm in May 2026, 12% more compared to May 2025 and at a similar level to the previous month, and the old ones 1,990 euros/sqm, increasing by 12% from one year to another and by 1% compared to the previous month.

A studio apartment in a new building costs approximately 77,510 euros, and an old one 73,630 euros. For two rooms, the price is 108,933 euros (new) and 103,480 euros (old), and for three rooms, 138,261 euros (new) and 131,340 euros (old).

Storia's analysis shows that, in May 2026, the residential market in Romania remains active, with visible increases from one year to the next in most major cities. At the same time, the differences between new and old apartments reflect local peculiarities related to positioning, access to infrastructure and the way prices are presented, including in the context of recent tax changes.

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About History

Storia is the most visited real estate platform in Romania, with the largest number of sales and rental ads in the country, and aims to bring more clarity to the real estate market. It's the place where thousands of owners, real estate agents and developers present their offers. Storia aims to support those looking for the right home by providing tools and valuable information about the real estate market to help them make informed decisions. In 2022, Storia launched a tool that analyzes the quality of life in Romanian neighborhoods. The Storia Index (originally TRAI) provides a score from 0 to 100 for each neighborhood, based on 17 important criteria for Romanians. This includes both objective data – such as traffic, air quality or house prices – as well as subjective perceptions, collected through an ongoing survey of over 110,000 respondents. Among the aspects evaluated are safety, cleanliness, quietness or access to cycle paths. The goal is for people to have a clearer picture of the neighborhoods they live in or are considering moving to.

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