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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $878 per month in Arad vs $1,115 in Timisoara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Arad vs $1,748 in Timisoara, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,893 per month in Arad vs $2,380 in Timisoara, rent included.

Arad is about 21% cheaper than Timisoara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Arad and Timisoara are more affordable than the global median – Arad 34% lower, Timisoara 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.18 RON 42.09

$9.35 RON 42.88

-1.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.99 RON 156

$57.5 RON 264

-40.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 RON 31.36

$7.88 RON 36.14

-13.20%

Cappuccino

$2.27 RON 10.41

$3.26 RON 14.97

-30.37%

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

$1.56 RON 7.18

$2.17 RON 9.93

-28.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 RON 8.04

$1.96 RON 8.97

-10.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 RON 9.56

$2.84 RON 13.01

-26.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 RON 12.39

$3.55 RON 16.26

-23.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 RON 6.89

$1.52 RON 6.98

-1.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.60

$1.32 RON 6.07

-7.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 RON 7.05

$1.50 RON 6.90

2.67%

Eggs

$2.94 RON 13.49

$3.14 RON 14.42

-6.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 RON 36.10

$9.23 RON 42.31

-14.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 RON 19.81

$6.44 RON 29.54

-32.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 RON 40.26

$11.35 RON 52.1

-22.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 RON 5.53

$1.12 RON 5.15

8.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.31

$1.57 RON 7.21

1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.92

$1.54 RON 7.04

12.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.77

$2.47 RON 11.34

-31.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.54

$0.72 RON 3.28

6.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.99

$0.98 RON 4.51

-11.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 RON 4.84

$0.69 RON 3.15

53.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.97

$0.78 RON 3.58

10.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 RON 26.31

$5.92 RON 27.13

-3.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 RON 24.26

$7.50 RON 34.41

-29.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.74

$1.21 RON 5.54

-14.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RON 7.53

$1.73 RON 7.93

-5.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$0.95 RON 4.34

-4.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.47 RON 108

$29.48 RON 135

-20.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.13

$0.89 RON 4.08

1.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 RON 3.97

$0.86 RON 3.95

1.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.34 RON 42.85

$7.34 RON 33.64

27.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.19

$1.60 RON 7.34

-1.88%

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

$28.4K RON 130.4K

$28.5K RON 130.5K

-0.09%

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

$26.8K RON 122.8K

$26.3K RON 120.7K

1.70%

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

$108 RON 497

$136 RON 626

-20.59%

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

$8.55 RON 39.21

$8.39 RON 38.48

1.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.65 RON 35.07

$9.53 RON 43.70

-19.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.59 RON 177

$43.81 RON 201

-11.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.10 RON 106

$15.17 RON 69.6

52.27%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 RON 26.56

$8.10 RON 37.16

-28.52%

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

$227 RON 1,040

$501 RON 2,297

-54.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,930 RON 31.8K

$10.1K RON 46.2K

-31.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.65 RON 182

$77.3 RON 355

-48.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.74 RON 178

$42.28 RON 194

-8.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 RON 370

$81.3 RON 373

-0.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 RON 321

$96.7 RON 443

-27.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 RON 1,455

$499 RON 2,288

-36.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 RON 989

$350 RON 1,606

-38.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 RON 2,592

$743 RON 3,407

-23.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 RON 2,002

$587 RON 2,694

-25.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,456 RON 6,679

$2,650 RON 12.2K

-45.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,105 RON 5,070

$1,916 RON 8,788

-42.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$847 RON 3,886

$1,238 RON 5,676

-31.54%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Timisoara: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $317 in Arad versus $499 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 46% 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 $34.00 in Arad versus $58.0 in Timisoara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $215 – 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 27% 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 $1,316 per month in Arad and $1,673 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 $34.00 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 $878 in Arad and $1,115 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 $878, than in Timisoara at $1,115. 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 $878 versus $1,115 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.