Cost of Living Comparison Between Arad and Timisoara Cost of Living Comparison Between Arad and Timisoara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $884 per month in Arad vs $1,150 in Timisoara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,394 per month in Arad vs $1,792 in Timisoara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,904 per month in Arad vs $2,435 in Timisoara, rent included.

Arad is about 23% cheaper than Timisoara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Arad and Timisoara are more affordable than the global median – Arad 34% lower, Timisoara 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.32 RON 42.13

$9.04 RON 40.86

3.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.02 RON 158

$58.5 RON 264

-40.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 RON 31.82

$7.98 RON 36.09

-11.78%

Cappuccino

$2.30 RON 10.41

$3.13 RON 14.16

-26.52%

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

$1.64 RON 7.39

$2.18 RON 9.84

-24.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.03

$1.98 RON 8.97

-10.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 RON 9.21

$2.72 RON 12.31

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 RON 12.54

$3.50 RON 15.83

-20.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.86

$1.53 RON 6.93

-0.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.69

$1.28 RON 5.78

-1.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.87

$1.49 RON 6.75

2.01%

Eggs

$2.92 RON 13.22

$3.24 RON 14.63

-9.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 RON 36.64

$9.76 RON 44.13

-16.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 RON 19.36

$6.41 RON 28.99

-33.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.65 RON 39.08

$11.37 RON 51.4

-23.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.33

$1.09 RON 4.92

8.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.86

$1.52 RON 6.87

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.46

$1.55 RON 7.03

6.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.50

$2.58 RON 11.68

-35.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.62

$0.78 RON 3.54

2.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 RON 4.13

$0.98 RON 4.41

-7.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 RON 4.60

$0.67 RON 3.01

52.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.18

$0.74 RON 3.33

24.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 RON 26.38

$5.85 RON 26.46

-0.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 RON 28.14

$7.95 RON 35.92

-21.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 RON 4.49

$1.20 RON 5.44

-17.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 RON 7.19

$1.72 RON 7.75

-7.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 RON 4.30

$0.95 RON 4.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.51 RON 106

$30.04 RON 136

-21.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.86

$0.90 RON 4.06

-5.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 RON 3.92

$0.83 RON 3.75

4.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 RON 40.57

$7.18 RON 32.48

25.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.07

$1.57 RON 7.11

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

$28.1K RON 127.0K

$27.5K RON 124.2K

2.26%

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

$26.6K RON 120.3K

$26.7K RON 120.5K

-0.16%

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

$111 RON 504

$139 RON 627

-19.65%

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

$8.40 RON 37.98

$8.33 RON 37.67

0.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.84 RON 35.46

$9.19 RON 41.53

-14.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.80 RON 175

$43.01 RON 194

-9.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.06 RON 104

$15.00 RON 67.8

53.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.67 RON 25.62

$7.99 RON 36.13

-29.04%

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

$228 RON 1,032

$491 RON 2,218

-53.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,887 RON 31.1K

$10.3K RON 46.5K

-33.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.72 RON 184

$78.7 RON 356

-48.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.66 RON 175

$43.23 RON 195

-10.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 RON 361

$82.7 RON 374

-3.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.5 RON 314

$94.9 RON 429

-26.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 RON 1,445

$495 RON 2,238

-35.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 RON 1,000

$358 RON 1,620

-38.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,550

$740 RON 3,345

-23.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 RON 1,938

$607 RON 2,742

-29.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,484 RON 6,706

$2,652 RON 12.0K

-44.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,097 RON 4,958

$1,964 RON 8,880

-44.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 RON 3,986

$1,217 RON 5,502

-27.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

6.66

-2.40%

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

Last update for Arad: June 1, 2026

Last update for Timisoara: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $320 in Arad versus $495 in Timisoara. 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 38% higher in Timisoara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Arad versus $58.0 in Timisoara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $217 – making Arad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Timisoara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Timisoara costs about 30% more than Arad, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,326 per month in Arad and $1,725 in Timisoara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arad, 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 $58.0 in Timisoara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $884 in Arad and $1,150 in Timisoara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arad, where all-in costs run around $884, than in Timisoara at $1,150. In Arad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Timisoara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arad costs $884 versus $1,150 in Timisoara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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