Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacau and Timisoara Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacau and Timisoara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $882 per month in Bacau vs $1,130 in Timisoara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,466 per month in Bacau vs $1,764 in Timisoara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,051 per month in Bacau vs $2,397 in Timisoara, rent included.

Bacau is about 22% cheaper than Timisoara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bacau and Timisoara are more affordable than the global median – Bacau 34% lower, Timisoara 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 RON 53.1

$9.26 RON 42.11

26.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 RON 212

$57.5 RON 262

-18.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.10 RON 36.84

$7.92 RON 36.00

2.27%

Cappuccino

$2.24 RON 10.17

$3.19 RON 14.50

-29.78%

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

$2.10 RON 9.53

$2.28 RON 10.38

-7.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.62

$1.99 RON 9.04

-4.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 RON 10.27

$2.69 RON 12.23

-15.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 RON 16.65

$3.37 RON 15.30

8.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 RON 6.04

$1.53 RON 6.96

-13.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 RON 4.10

$1.31 RON 5.95

-31.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.72

$1.51 RON 6.88

12.58%

Eggs

$3.72 RON 16.90

$3.20 RON 14.53

16.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 RON 38.90

$9.61 RON 43.70

-10.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.24 RON 28.35

$6.43 RON 29.25

-2.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.07 RON 41.25

$11.51 RON 52.3

-21.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 RON 5.76

$1.09 RON 4.94

16.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.27

$1.57 RON 7.14

1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.46

$1.60 RON 7.29

2.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.48

$2.59 RON 11.78

-27.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.38

$0.72 RON 3.25

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 RON 3.72

$0.99 RON 4.49

-17.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$0.72 RON 3.26

-1.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.50

$0.79 RON 3.60

-2.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.87 RON 26.70

$5.88 RON 26.75

-0.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.61 RON 30.05

$7.56 RON 34.39

-12.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.19

$1.25 RON 5.69

-26.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.88

$1.72 RON 7.84

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 RON 2.89

$0.97 RON 4.39

-35.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.33 RON 147

$29.76 RON 135

8.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 RON 2.77

$0.85 RON 3.87

-28.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.82

$0.83 RON 3.79

-25.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 RON 35.20

$7.32 RON 33.26

5.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.29

$1.66 RON 7.54

-3.61%

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

$28.6K RON 129.8K

$28.3K RON 128.5K

1.06%

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

$26.1K RON 118.6K

$26.8K RON 121.8K

-2.64%

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

$117 RON 530

$140 RON 636

-16.76%

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

$8.43 RON 38.33

$8.29 RON 37.67

1.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.06 RON 22.99

$9.39 RON 42.71

-46.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.75 RON 117

$42.69 RON 194

-39.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.93 RON 104

$15.17 RON 69.0

51.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 RON 29.84

$7.84 RON 35.65

-16.33%

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

$657 RON 2,985

$496 RON 2,255

32.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,489 RON 25.0K

$10.1K RON 46.1K

-45.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.3 RON 424

$78.5 RON 357

18.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.15 RON 160

$42.72 RON 194

-17.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 RON 290

$82.5 RON 375

-22.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.6 RON 435

$96.2 RON 438

-0.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 RON 1,438

$489 RON 2,223

-35.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 RON 823

$355 RON 1,614

-49.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 RON 2,328

$717 RON 3,261

-28.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 RON 1,678

$599 RON 2,725

-38.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,889 RON 8,588

$2,689 RON 12.2K

-29.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,250 RON 5,684

$1,949 RON 8,862

-35.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,021 RON 4,642

$1,206 RON 5,483

-15.33%

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 Bacau: July 26, 2026

Last update for Timisoara: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $316 in Bacau versus $489 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 18% 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 $47.00 in Bacau versus $58.0 in Timisoara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $218 – making Bacau 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

Bacau vs Timisoara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Timisoara is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,323 per month in Bacau and $1,696 in Timisoara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacau, 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 $47.00 in Bacau 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 $882 in Bacau and $1,130 in Timisoara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $882, than in Timisoara at $1,130. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Timisoara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – 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 Bacau. 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.