Bucharest tops Romanian housing market with leading rental yields and 21% new‑apartment price surge

A new study shows Bucharest delivers the highest estimated annual rental yield in Romania at about 7.1%, ahead of Ploieşti (6.7%), Galaţi (6.6%) and other regional cities. Although its property prices are among the highest, the capital’s yield outperforms pricier markets such as Cluj‑Napoca, which records a low 3.9% yield despite the highest per‑square‑metre price.

In the same period, new‑construction apartment prices in Bucharest rose 21% year‑on‑year, the strongest increase among major Romanian cities. The average price now stands at €2,636 per usable square metre. By contrast, price growth was modest elsewhere – 2% in Constanţa, 7% in Brașov and 8% in Cluj‑Napoca. The secondary‑market segment also posted gains, with older‑building apartments up 10% in Ploieşti and 11% in Timișoara.

Analysts note that the divergent dynamics – high rental returns in moderately priced cities and rapid price appreciation in the capital – highlight differing investment strategies across the Romanian real‑estate sector.