Bucharest has overtaken Brasov to rank second among Romanian cities with the highest apartment prices, following a wave of price increases over the past year in the property market, while Cluj-Napoca remains the undisputed national leader, according to a specialist platform monitoring the residential property market in the country's main urban centres.

Timisoara also stands out for its rapid price growth, at a pace close to that recorded in the Bucharest market.

‘Although annual residential property price growth remains below the inflation rate in most of the cities analysed, helping to keep affordability at a relatively balanced level, recent exchange rate movements are putting additional pressure on buyers. The depreciation of the leu against the euro increases the cost of purchasing a property in lei and may affect both the deposit required and the financial burden on those saving in the national currency. As a result, affordability remains relatively good, but it is influenced not only by price and income trends, but also by exchange rate movements and financing costs,' said Daniel Crainic, marketing director at Imobiliare.ro, as quoted in the analysis.

Property owners and developers in the capital have raised prices by almost 9% compared with the beginning of last autumn. At that time, apartments were listed for sale at an average price of 2,125 euro per usable square metre, whereas by the end of last month the figure had reached 2,312 euro per usable square metre. Bucharest has also moved into second place among the country's most expensive cities, overtaking Brasov, which had long held that position in the national ranking. Despite this, newly built apartments in the capital continue to be listed at an average price below that recorded in the city at the foot of Mount Tampa.

In Timisoara, the average asking price for new and existing apartments remains below 2,000 euro per usable square metre, despite the local residential market recording the second-largest price increase over the past year. Prices have risen by 8%, from 1,833 euro to 1,984 euro per usable square metre. Newly built apartments are listed at more than 2,200 euro per usable square metre, following a 9% increase in just 12 months, while apartments in older blocks of flats have an average asking price of 1,940 euro per usable square metre, according to Imobiliare.ro.

An increase of almost 8% has also been recorded in asking prices in Ploiesti, although the city remains one of the most affordable options for buyers active in Romania's secondary property markets.

In Sibiu, the asking price for apartments has risen by 7% over the past year, from an average of 1,894 euro to 2,034 euro per usable square metre. Apartment prices have therefore moved closer to levels seen in Constanta and Iasi. Price increases in Iasi, the main city of Moldova, have followed a similar trend, with the average apartment price reaching 2,000 euro per usable square metre. Locally, the price gap between newly built homes and apartments in older blocks of flats remains relatively narrow.

This autumn, buyers are paying 6% more for apartments in Constanta than the asking prices recorded in September 2025. At that time, owners and developers listed apartments at an average of 1,898 euro per usable square metre. The current average stands at around 2,020 euro per usable square metre.

Price increases of around 5% over the past year have been recorded in Cluj-Napoca, Brasov, Craiova and Oradea. Although the pace of growth has slowed considerably in the local residential market, Cluj-Napoca remains the country's most expensive city for homebuyers. Apartments are listed for sale at an average of 3,316 euro per usable square metre.

In Brasov, apartments are listed at an average of 2,309 euro per usable square metre. Price differences depending on the age of the property remain substantial, with apartments in newly built residential developments being listed at an average price approaching 2,800 euro per usable square metre.

Craiova is strengthening its position nationally, with local apartment prices exceeding those in cities such as Constanta, Iasi and Timisoara, at an average of 2,142 euro per usable square metre. Although prices are rising, Oradea remains an affordable option for buyers in the western half of the country, with the average asking price reaching 1,885 euro per usable square metre by the end of last month. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Cristian Anghelache; EN - writing by: Adina Panaitescu)