Sibiu on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, Sibiu is excellent on a budget: the old town is compact and walkable, meals are cheap and most sights cost little. A realistic minimum is about 275 lei a day per person sharing a room — around 120 lei for a bed, 100 lei for food, 40 lei for sights and 15 lei for transport.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | lei120 | lei220 | lei450 |
| Food & drink | lei100 | lei180 | lei300 |
| Sights & tickets | lei40 | lei80 | lei150 |
| Local transport | lei15 | lei70 | lei150 |
| Per person, per day | lei275 | lei550 | lei1,050 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Sibiu day-cost table.
Free things to do
- Walking Piața Mare and Piața Mică, the two main squares
- Crossing the cast-iron Bridge of Lies (Podul Minciunilor)
- Going down the Passage of Stairs (Pasajul Scărilor) to the lower town
- Walking along Strada Cetății beside the city walls and towers
- Spotting the eyelid-shaped roof windows of the old houses
- Sunset from the walls of the upper town
Cheap eats
- Mici (grilled minced-meat rolls) with mustard and bread
- Bean soup or ciorbă in a bread bowl
- Sarmale (cabbage rolls) with polenta and sour cream — a main course from about 40 lei
- Papanași, fried doughnuts with sour cream and jam
- A local beer — about 12–15 lei
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in guesthouses and hostels in the lower town (Orașul de Jos), in old houses a few minutes below the main squares, where a double costs about 200–300 lei and dorm beds are cheaper. Village guesthouses in Mărginimea Sibiului are another good-value option.
Getting around cheaply
Walk around the old town and use Tursib buses, a few lei per ride, for the station, the airport and the ASTRA museum. From the airport, a taxi is about 40–60 lei. Trains are slow, so buses are often faster to Brașov, Cluj and Sighișoara.
A sample budget day
- Morning: the Council Tower (a few lei) and the Brukenthal National Museum (roughly 30–50 lei)
- Lunch: soup in a bread bowl or sarmale (about 40–50 lei)
- Afternoon: the Bridge of Lies, the Passage of Stairs and the walls on Strada Cetății, all free
- Evening: dinner of mici and a local beer (about 50–60 lei)
- Total: about 275 lei including a shared room (about 120 lei)
More ways to save
- Pay by card almost everywhere in town, but carry a little cash for villages and markets.
- Combine the ASTRA museum and the shepherd villages on one day to make a car rental or tour count.
- Ask about the daily menu at lunch, usually cheaper than ordering à la carte.
- Try a home-cooked meal in a village guesthouse for good value and local food.
- Choose buses over trains for longer trips; they are usually faster and similar in price.
- Visit in autumn for colours in the mountains and lower prices.
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Common questions
Can you visit Sibiu on a budget?
Yes. Stay in the lower town, walk everywhere and eat local dishes. Plan on about 275 lei a day.
How do I get from Sibiu airport to the centre?
By Tursib bus for a few lei, or by taxi in about 15–20 minutes for roughly 40–60 lei.
How much is the ASTRA museum?
About 30–40 lei. Allow at least 3 hours, as it is large.