In October 2026, the asking price for apartments in Sibiu reached €2,051/sqm, 7.6% more than a year ago (Imobiliare.ro). This is one of the fastest price increases among the country's big cities. Yet an apartment listing stays on the market in Sibiu for an average of 98 days, the most of the 10 cities for which Imobiliare.ro publishes this figure.
We put side by side the data for 36 county seat cities: asking prices, days on the market, salaries, finished homes and building permits. The result is not a simple story of “rising prices”. In several important respects, Sibiu behaves differently from the rest of the country.
In short
- Asking prices are rising quickly, but the average time to sell is the longest: 98 days in Sibiu, versus 36 in Craiova and 55 in Bucharest (Imobiliare.ro, October 2026).
- Sibiu went above the national average price per sqm in August: 2,051 €/sqm, versus 2,025 €/sqm. Relative to salaries, it remains below the national average: 1.77 net salaries per sqm, versus 1.87.
- New supply is shrinking: 1,508 homes were completed in the county in 2025, the lowest number in the last 10 years (INS).
- In Sibiu, a studio does not cost more per sqm than a 3-room apartment, and a house costs more per sqm than an apartment. Both are the reverse of most cities.
Asking prices are rising, but time to sell is the longest
Of the 10 large cities with data on time to sell, Sibiu has the longest: 98 days. Cluj, the most expensive city in the country, has 97. At the other end, Craiova has 36 days and Bucharest 55 (Imobiliare.ro, October 2026). Compared with last year, the time to sell in Sibiu fell by only 2%.
The combination is unusual. Cluj has listings that stay on the market a long time, but also a moderate price increase of 4.5% over one year. Sibiu has the same long selling period, but with a 7.6% increase, exceeded among the big cities only by Timișoara (8.2%) and Bucharest (7.7%). And this month, the asking price rose by 0.8% in a single month, one of the largest monthly increases among the big cities, after Iași.
What does this mean? The index price is the price owners ask in listings, not the transaction price. Our interpretation: in Sibiu, sellers' expectations are rising faster than buyers' ability to pay. Properties put on the market at the right price sell, while those listed above market level stay unsold for months and pull up the average time on market.
For a seller, the practical conclusion is clear: demand exists, but it does not absorb a property listed above the market level. The first weeks on the market matter most, and a property that stays in stock for a long time becomes harder to sell without a price adjustment.
How long a listing stays on the market
Average selling period and asking price compared with a year ago, apartments, October 2026
Source: Imobiliare.ro index (sale period, asking price per sqm), processed by Vianto Properties.
Above the national average on price, below the national average on affordability
Sibiu moved above the national average asking price per sqm in August 2026 and stayed there for three months in a row. In October, the gap was €2,051/sqm versus €2,025/sqm (Imobiliare.ro). Over the long term, the gap has built up gradually: over five years, the asking price rose by 64.1% in Sibiu, compared with a national average of 51.9%.
However, the price per sqm tells only half the story. The other half is the purchasing effort: how many monthly incomes one square metre costs. We converted the price per sqm into lei at the BNR exchange rate and divided it by the average net salary in the county (Imobiliare.ro and INS, August 2026):
- Sibiu: 1,77 average net salaries per sqm
- National average: 1,87
- Bucharest: 1,66
- Brașov: 2,23
- Cluj: 2,55
Sibiu is therefore more expensive than the national average in euros, but more affordable relative to local incomes. The trend is worth watching, however: in 2019, the same calculation gave 1.57 salaries per sqm in Sibiu. The purchasing effort has grown, but in other cities it has grown even more.
A simple example: a 55 sqm apartment at the average asking price for 2-room apartments in Sibiu (2,036 €/sqm) costs around 112,000 €. That amounts to roughly 97 average net monthly salaries in the county, or about 8 years of full salary.
Fewer and fewer new homes are being completed
In 2025, 1,508 homes were completed in Sibiu county, the lowest number in the last 10 years (INS). In 2021 there were 2,716, 80% more, and in 2016, 2,696. The decline over the last two years is steep: 1,908 homes in 2024, then 1,508 in 2025.
A shrinking new supply shifts demand towards the existing housing stock. This partly explains the appreciation of asking prices: owners of older apartments face less competition from new developments.
There is also a sign going the other way. The number of building permits for residential buildings rose in 2025 to 734, from 640 in 2024 (INS). Permits issued today become finished homes in one to three years, so new supply could partly recover after 2026.
What the average price does not show
A studio does not cost more per sqm than a 3-room apartment
In most cities, small apartments are more expensive per square metre. In Oradea, a studio costs 19% more per sqm than a 3-room apartment, and in Mureș 23% more. In Cluj the difference is 8%, in Iași almost 10%.
In Sibiu, the difference practically does not exist: 2,039 €/sqm for 1 room and 2,050 €/sqm for 3 rooms (Imobiliare.ro, older apartments, October 2026). The only other city among the 10 with data where the same happens is Bucharest.
For an investor, this changes the yield calculation. If the rent per sqm is higher for studios, as usually happens, in Sibiu the small square metre is bought without the price premium paid in other cities, so the gross yield should favour them. It is worth checking against the actual rent in the area before deciding.
A house is more expensive per sqm than an apartment
Nationally, houses are about 23% cheaper per square metre than apartments: 1,555 €/sqm versus 2,025 €/sqm. In Sibiu it is the other way round: houses have an asking price of 2,111 €/sqm, apartments 2,051 €/sqm (Imobiliare.ro, October 2026). Of the 10 cities with data for houses, only four have houses more expensive per square metre than apartments: Sibiu, Brașov, Cluj and Bucharest.
What explains prices and what doesn't: correlations across 36 cities
We checked what moves together with the asking price across the 36 county-seat cities for which Imobiliare.ro publishes the index. Two findings are worth noting.
Salary explains how expensive a city is
Average net salary and asking price per sqm in 36 cities. Correlation: 0.78
Each point is a county seat city. Source: Imobiliare.ro (asking price), INS (salary), processed by Vianto Properties.
But it does not explain how much prices have risen
Growth in salaries and growth in asking prices over the last 5 years. Correlation: 0.09
Each point is a county seat city. Source: Imobiliare.ro (asking price, Oct. 2021 and Oct. 2026), INS (salary, Aug. 2021 and Aug. 2026), processed by Vianto Properties.
1. Salaries explain the level of the price, not its growth. Between average net salary and price per sqm the correlation is 0.78: cities with high salaries also have expensive homes. Between salary growth over the last five years and price growth over the same period, the correlation is 0.09, which is practically zero. Prices did not rise most where salaries rose most.
2. Construction follows demand, it does not slow it down. Where more building permits are issued per 1,000 inhabitants, prices have risen more over the last five years (correlation 0.39). It seems counterintuitive, but it makes sense: developers build where prices have already shown there is demand.
An important note: the correlation shows what moves together, not what causes what. With 36 cities, the results are indicative only.
What it means for sellers, buyers and investors
- If you are selling: an average time on the market of 98 days shows that the listing price decides almost everything. A price set on comparable properties, not on the listings in the area, shortens time on the market. You can request a no-obligation valuation of your apartment before publishing the listing.
- If you are buying: properties that have been on the market for a long time generally offer the greatest room for negotiation. Look at apartments for sale in Sibiu and ask how long the listing has been up.
- If you are investing: in Sibiu, studio apartments do not carry the price-per-sqm premium seen in other cities. Compare studio apartments for sale with 2-3 room apartments based on rental yield, not just on total price.
- If you are thinking about a house: in Sibiu, it is no longer the "cheaper option" compared with an apartment. See houses for sale in Sibiu and compare the price per usable sqm, not just the total sum.
Methodology and limitations
- Prices and days on market: Imobiliare.ro index, October 2026. These are asking prices in listings, not sale prices. For a county, the price is that of the county seat. Selling period is published for 10 cities.
- Salaries, completed dwellings, permits: INS. For the salary comparison, the August 2026 price per sqm was converted into lei at the BNR average exchange rate for the month and divided by the average net salary in the county.
- Correlations: Pearson coefficient across 36 county seat cities. For Arad, Alba Iulia, Pitești, Miercurea Ciuc and Galați, Imobiliare.ro does not publish an updated index.
All monthly series are available on the Real estate market page of Vianto Properties.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an apartment in Sibiu cost in October 2026?
The average asking price is 2,051 €/sqm, up 7.6% from October 2025 (Imobiliare.ro). By rooms: 2,039 €/sqm for 1-room, 2,036 €/sqm for 2-room and 2,050 €/sqm for 3-room apartments, for older apartments. These are asking prices in listings, not final sale prices.
Why does an apartment stay 98 days on the market in Sibiu?
The 98 days are the Imobiliare.ro average for October 2026, the highest of the 10 cities with this date. Because asking prices are rising quickly, our interpretation is that properties listed above the market level stay in stock for a long time and pull up the average, while those put on the market at the right price sell.
Are fewer homes being built in Sibiu?
Yes. In 2025, 1,508 homes were completed in Sibiu county, the lowest number in the last 10 years, compared with 2,716 in 2021 (INS). However, residential building permits rose in 2025 to 734, from 640, so new supply may grow again in the coming years.
Is Sibiu more expensive than the Romanian average?
In euro per sqm, yes: €2,051/sqm versus €2,025/sqm national average in October 2026 (Imobiliare.ro). Relative to salaries, no: one sqm costs 1.77 average net salaries in Sibiu, compared with 1.87 nationally and 2.55 in Cluj (INS, August 2026).
Want to find out how much your apartment is worth in today's market? The Vianto Properties team can make you an assessment based on real data. You can reach us at 0791 710 606 or office@vianto.ro, or you can see the properties available directly on the website.
The correct selling price is determined by comparable transactions in your area, not by the asking prices in nearby listings. You can request a free property evaluation, with a response within 24 hours, or you can discuss with the Vianto Properties team before you decide.