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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $969 per month in Bacau vs $1,184 in Timisoara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,621 per month in Bacau vs $1,820 in Timisoara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,273 per month in Bacau vs $2,455 in Timisoara, rent included.

Bacau is about 18% cheaper than Timisoara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bacau and Timisoara are more affordable than the global median – Bacau 29% lower, Timisoara 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.97 RON 68.7

$10.78 RON 49.48

38.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.4 RON 396

$48.57 RON 223

77.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 RON 35.77

$8.57 RON 39.33

-8.98%

Cappuccino

$2.14 RON 9.83

$3.05 RON 13.98

-29.84%

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

$2.10 RON 9.62

$2.29 RON 10.49

-8.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.76

$1.78 RON 8.17

7.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 RON 12.43

$2.62 RON 12.03

3.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 RON 15.55

$4.52 RON 20.76

-25.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 RON 5.71

$1.47 RON 6.75

-15.65%

White Bread (500g)

$0.69 RON 3.18

$1.26 RON 5.79

-45.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 RON 8.23

$1.45 RON 6.64

23.45%

Eggs

$3.52 RON 16.15

$3.08 RON 14.11

14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 RON 36.04

$8.76 RON 40.19

-10.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.59 RON 25.65

$6.40 RON 29.37

-12.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.81 RON 40.42

$11.67 RON 53.5

-24.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 RON 5.27

$1.23 RON 5.66

-6.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.95

$1.58 RON 7.26

-4.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.58

$1.53 RON 7.02

7.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.65

$2.44 RON 11.19

-22.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 RON 3.28

$0.76 RON 3.50

-5.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.73 RON 3.33

$1.02 RON 4.69

-28.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 RON 3.47

$0.73 RON 3.37

4.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.55

$0.78 RON 3.57

-1.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.71 RON 26.21

$6.69 RON 30.71

-14.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.44 RON 24.96

$7.60 RON 34.85

-28.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 RON 4.69

$1.24 RON 5.70

-17.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.93

$1.80 RON 8.24

-28.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RON 3.59

$1.08 RON 4.95

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.97 RON 142

$35.39 RON 162

-12.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 RON 2.78

$0.85 RON 3.91

-28.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.18

$0.89 RON 4.10

-22.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.16 RON 32.83

$8.82 RON 40.48

-18.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 RON 8.20

$1.92 RON 8.80

-6.77%

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

$28.8K RON 132.3K

$29.3K RON 134.5K

-1.64%

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

$26.0K RON 119.3K

$25.6K RON 117.5K

1.59%

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

$109 RON 502

$176 RON 809

-37.89%

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

$7.82 RON 35.89

$6.85 RON 31.43

14.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.08 RON 23.29

$9.14 RON 41.92

-44.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.15 RON 125

$41.11 RON 189

-33.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.73 RON 76.7

$16.53 RON 75.8

1.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.50 RON 29.82

$8.40 RON 38.55

-22.62%

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

$604 RON 2,771

$613 RON 2,812

-1.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,174 RON 23.7K

$9,005 RON 41.3K

-42.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.9 RON 399

$76.9 RON 353

12.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.84 RON 151

$42.26 RON 194

-22.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.5 RON 291

$79.9 RON 366

-20.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 RON 407

$95.2 RON 437

-6.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 RON 1,954

$564 RON 2,588

-24.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$249 RON 1,144

$378 RON 1,736

-34.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$560 RON 2,571

$871 RON 3,995

-35.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$421 RON 1,934

$635 RON 2,914

-33.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,878 RON 8,616

$2,565 RON 11.8K

-26.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,271 RON 5,830

$1,911 RON 8,769

-33.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,002 RON 4,598

$1,192 RON 5,471

-15.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.97

6.88

1.31%

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

Last update for Bacau: September 14, 2026

Last update for Timisoara: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Bacau versus $564 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 19% 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 $86.0 in Bacau versus $49.00 in Timisoara. Groceries tell a different story – $184 in Bacau vs $214 in Timisoara – so Bacau 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

Bacau vs Timisoara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Timisoara is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,454 per month in Bacau and $1,776 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 $86.0 in Bacau and $49.00 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 $969 in Bacau and $1,184 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 $969, than in Timisoara at $1,184. 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.