Cost of Living Comparison Between Craiova and Timisoara Cost of Living Comparison Between Craiova and Timisoara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,115 in Craiova versus $1,122 in Timisoara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,639 in Craiova versus $1,773 in Timisoara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,163 in Craiova versus $2,424 in Timisoara.

Living in Craiova costs roughly 1% less than in Timisoara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Craiova 17% lower, Timisoara 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.96 RON 40.53

$9.05 RON 40.96

-0.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.48 RON 210

$58.5 RON 265

-20.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 RON 36.16

$8.28 RON 37.47

-3.50%

Cappuccino

$2.59 RON 11.73

$3.28 RON 14.82

-21.04%

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

$2.09 RON 9.44

$2.26 RON 10.21

-7.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 RON 8.44

$2.03 RON 9.17

-7.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 RON 10.61

$2.83 RON 12.78

-16.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 RON 15.94

$3.40 RON 15.39

3.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 6.84

$1.52 RON 6.86

-0.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 RON 4.51

$1.31 RON 5.91

-23.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.72

$1.48 RON 6.70

15.54%

Eggs

$3.27 RON 14.78

$3.25 RON 14.70

0.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 RON 35.10

$9.63 RON 43.56

-19.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 RON 29.60

$6.64 RON 30.02

-1.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.45 RON 42.75

$11.57 RON 52.3

-18.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 RON 5.80

$1.09 RON 4.92

17.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.64

$1.55 RON 7.03

9.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.11

$1.61 RON 7.30

-2.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.87 RON 8.47

$2.45 RON 11.10

-23.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.68

$0.73 RON 3.30

41.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 RON 5.07

$1.02 RON 4.59

9.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RON 3.61

$0.73 RON 3.30

9.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.64

$0.73 RON 3.30

9.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.03 RON 27.26

$5.76 RON 26.06

4.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.00 RON 27.16

$7.79 RON 35.23

-22.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 RON 5.95

$1.20 RON 5.41

9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 RON 10.24

$1.68 RON 7.61

34.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.02

$0.90 RON 4.08

-25.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.28 RON 105

$29.98 RON 136

-22.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 RON 2.58

$0.90 RON 4.07

-36.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.77

$0.85 RON 3.83

-2.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 RON 32.12

$7.35 RON 33.25

-3.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.27

$1.64 RON 7.42

-1.83%

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

$27.5K RON 124.6K

$27.9K RON 126.3K

-1.31%

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

$27.8K RON 125.9K

$26.0K RON 117.8K

6.91%

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

$212 RON 957

$140 RON 631

51.65%

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

$8.06 RON 36.48

$8.54 RON 38.62

-5.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.54 RON 52.2

$9.01 RON 40.78

28.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.06 RON 163

$43.38 RON 196

-16.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 RON 84.8

$15.02 RON 68.0

24.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.69 RON 30.28

$8.29 RON 37.49

-19.30%

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

$436 RON 1,971

$506 RON 2,287

-13.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,920 RON 40.4K

$10.1K RON 45.8K

-11.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 RON 364

$76.7 RON 347

4.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.68 RON 166

$42.61 RON 193

-13.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 RON 355

$82.5 RON 373

-4.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.8 RON 397

$96.5 RON 436

-8.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$387 RON 1,751

$497 RON 2,247

-22.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 RON 1,389

$360 RON 1,629

-14.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$727 RON 3,287

$729 RON 3,299

-0.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 RON 2,028

$586 RON 2,650

-23.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,639 RON 11.9K

$2,722 RON 12.3K

-3.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,047 RON 9,260

$2,009 RON 9,086

1.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$998 RON 4,516

$1,228 RON 5,554

-18.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

6.66

-5.71%

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

Last update for Craiova: June 9, 2026

Last update for Timisoara: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $387 in Craiova and $497 in Timisoara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 23% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Craiova vs $58.0 in Timisoara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $218 per month, with Craiova cheaper across the board.

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

Craiova vs Timisoara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Craiova wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Timisoara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Craiova the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Timisoara earns 23% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $387 in Craiova versus $497 in Timisoara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,115 per month in Craiova versus $1,122 in Timisoara – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 29% less than in Timisoara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,115 in Craiova versus $1,122 in Timisoara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Craiova but tight or insufficient in Timisoara. The gap between the two cities makes Craiova the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Craiova delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,115 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Craiova hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Craiova and Timisoara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Craiova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.