Cost of Living Comparison Between Arad and Changsha Cost of Living Comparison Between Arad and Changsha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $888 per month in Arad vs $770 in Changsha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,381 per month in Arad vs $1,221 in Changsha, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,875 per month in Arad vs $1,673 in Changsha, rent included.

Arad costs about 15% more than Changsha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arad and Changsha are more affordable than the global median – Arad 34% lower, Changsha 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.06 RON 39.42

$2.87 ¥19.63

215.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.55 RON 150

$20.69 ¥142

66.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.83 RON 29.71

$4.91 ¥33.62

39.10%

Cappuccino

$2.28 RON 9.90

$2.96 ¥20.26

-22.97%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 RON 6.90

$0.46 ¥3.16

245.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 RON 7.36

$0.25 ¥1.71

576.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 RON 8.78

$1.09 ¥7.45

85.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 RON 12.11

$1.86 ¥12.74

49.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 RON 6.31

$1.93 ¥13.25

-24.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 RON 5.33

$2.24 ¥15.35

-45.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 RON 6.98

$0.91 ¥6.25

75.82%

Eggs

$2.94 RON 12.81

$1.61 ¥11.06

82.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.08 RON 35.15

$15.92 ¥109

-49.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.47 RON 19.45

$3.20 ¥21.94

39.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.60 RON 37.39

$8.89 ¥60.9

-3.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.12

$1.84 ¥12.61

-35.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 6.87

$1.34 ¥9.16

17.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.23

$1.78 ¥12.19

-6.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.46

$1.82 ¥12.43

-6.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.50

$0.89 ¥6.07

-10.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.83

$1.46 ¥9.98

-39.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 RON 4.40

$0.48 ¥3.26

110.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.02

$0.40 ¥2.73

130.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 RON 25.70

$2.83 ¥19.38

108.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.95 RON 30.25

$12.37 ¥84.8

-43.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 RON 4.27

$0.89 ¥6.09

10.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.20

$1.43 ¥9.83

15.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 RON 4.12

$0.37 ¥2.50

156.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.31 RON 101

$14.21 ¥97.3

64.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 3.93

$1.24 ¥8.49

-27.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 RON 3.57

$0.26 ¥1.78

215.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.34 RON 40.62

$8.13 ¥55.7

14.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 6.72

$1.18 ¥8.10

31.36%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.6K RON 124.3K

$20.7K ¥142.1K

37.72%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.2K RON 114.0K

$21.9K ¥149.9K

19.72%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$108 RON 472

$42.83 ¥293

153.21%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.43 RON 36.67

$12.61 ¥86.4

-33.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.95 RON 34.57

$14.52 ¥99.5

-45.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.05 RON 170

$57.1 ¥391

-31.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.39 RON 102

$23.08 ¥158

1.34%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 RON 24.95

$5.95 ¥40.75

-3.53%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$230 RON 1,001

$313 ¥2,144

-26.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,929 RON 30.1K

$7,239 ¥49.6K

-4.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.05 RON 179

$84.7 ¥580

-51.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.57 RON 163

$31.31 ¥214

19.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 RON 348

$82.1 ¥563

-2.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 RON 299

$69.3 ¥475

-0.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$322 RON 1,403

$208 ¥1,424

55.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$215 RON 936

$171 ¥1,170

26.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 RON 2,515

$506 ¥3,463

14.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 RON 1,864

$366 ¥2,504

17.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,549 RON 6,739

$2,503 ¥17.1K

-38.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,174 RON 5,108

$1,325 ¥9,073

-11.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$842 RON 3,664

$1,094 ¥7,496

-23.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

3.89

67.10%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Arad: April 25, 2026

Last update for Changsha: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $322 in Arad versus $208 in Changsha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 30% higher in Changsha, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Arad versus $21.00 in Changsha. Groceries tell a different story – $189 in Arad vs $220 in Changsha – so Arad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Arad vs Changsha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arad costs about 15% more than Changsha, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,332 per month in Arad and $1,154 in Changsha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Changsha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Arad and $21.00 in Changsha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $888 in Arad and $770 in Changsha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $888 in Arad and $770 in Changsha, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Changsha – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Changsha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Arad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.