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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $752 per month in Changsha vs $880 in Arad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,227 per month in Changsha vs $1,375 in Arad, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,701 per month in Changsha vs $1,869 in Arad, rent included.

Changsha is about 15% cheaper than Arad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Changsha and Arad are more affordable than the global median – Changsha 44% lower, Arad 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 ¥19.03

$9.12 RON 41.26

-69.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.63 ¥140

$35.03 RON 158

-41.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ¥32.28

$7.03 RON 31.79

-32.15%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ¥20.73

$2.22 RON 10.04

38.29%

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

$0.42 ¥2.85

$1.58 RON 7.14

-73.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ¥1.69

$1.74 RON 7.88

-85.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$2.05 RON 9.30

-46.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥12.56

$2.78 RON 12.59

-33.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 ¥12.95

$1.50 RON 6.78

28.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 ¥15.87

$1.22 RON 5.53

92.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.29

$1.54 RON 6.95

-39.61%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥11.01

$2.93 RON 13.24

-44.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.89 ¥107

$8.19 RON 37.03

94.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ¥20.79

$4.48 RON 20.28

-31.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.02 ¥61.0

$9.04 RON 40.90

-0.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 ¥12.92

$1.22 RON 5.50

56.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.72

$1.52 RON 6.87

-15.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.97

$1.73 RON 7.81

2.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.25

$1.71 RON 7.75

5.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 ¥6.00

$0.80 RON 3.63

11.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.33

$0.87 RON 3.94

75.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 ¥3.39

$1.07 RON 4.83

-53.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ¥2.87

$0.94 RON 4.24

-55.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.80 ¥18.95

$5.93 RON 26.83

-52.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.47 ¥84.3

$6.22 RON 28.12

100.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥6.07

$1.04 RON 4.70

-13.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ¥9.70

$1.57 RON 7.09

-8.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ¥2.29

$0.95 RON 4.29

-64.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.73 ¥92.9

$23.62 RON 107

-41.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ¥8.69

$0.84 RON 3.78

52.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.74

$0.85 RON 3.85

-69.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ¥55.8

$9.47 RON 42.85

-12.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.68

$1.56 RON 7.05

-26.92%

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

$20.4K ¥137.7K

$28.6K RON 129.2K

-28.71%

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

$21.6K ¥145.9K

$26.4K RON 119.5K

-18.28%

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

$43.59 ¥295

$109 RON 492

-59.96%

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

$12.35 ¥83.5

$8.78 RON 39.74

40.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.65 ¥99.0

$7.85 RON 35.50

86.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 ¥384

$39.43 RON 178

44.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.83 ¥154

$23.27 RON 105

-1.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.01 ¥40.62

$5.75 RON 26.00

4.52%

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

$311 ¥2,106

$230 RON 1,042

35.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,443 ¥50.3K

$7,002 RON 31.7K

6.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 ¥570

$40.22 RON 182

109.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.02 ¥210

$37.93 RON 172

-18.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ¥548

$80.8 RON 365

0.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.5 ¥470

$70.3 RON 318

-1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 ¥1,400

$321 RON 1,454

-35.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 ¥1,171

$216 RON 976

-19.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$513 ¥3,467

$568 RON 2,570

-9.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ¥2,394

$425 RON 1,920

-16.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,513 ¥17.0K

$1,494 RON 6,757

68.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,370 ¥9,263

$1,093 RON 4,946

25.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,109 ¥7,500

$854 RON 3,862

29.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

6.5

-40.15%

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

Last update for Changsha: June 7, 2026

Last update for Arad: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $207 in Changsha versus $321 in Arad. 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 $21.00 in Changsha versus $35.00 in Arad. Groceries tell a different story – $222 in Changsha vs $190 in Arad – 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

Changsha vs Arad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arad costs about 17% 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 $1,128 per month in Changsha and $1,320 in Arad. 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 $21.00 in Changsha and $35.00 in Arad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $752 in Changsha and $880 in Arad. 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 $752 in Changsha and $880 in Arad, 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.