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: $1,109 in Craiova versus $1,130 in Timisoara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,650 in Craiova versus $1,764 in Timisoara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,191 in Craiova versus $2,397 in Timisoara.

Living in Craiova costs roughly 2% less than in Timisoara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Craiova 17% lower, Timisoara 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.38 RON 42.65

$9.26 RON 42.11

1.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.95 RON 209

$57.5 RON 262

-20.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 RON 36.18

$7.92 RON 36.00

0.51%

Cappuccino

$2.49 RON 11.31

$3.19 RON 14.50

-21.94%

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

$2.10 RON 9.54

$2.28 RON 10.38

-7.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.75

$1.99 RON 9.04

-3.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 RON 10.21

$2.69 RON 12.23

-16.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 RON 15.23

$3.37 RON 15.30

-0.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 RON 7.09

$1.53 RON 6.96

1.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 RON 4.54

$1.31 RON 5.95

-23.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.77

$1.51 RON 6.88

13.25%

Eggs

$3.23 RON 14.66

$3.20 RON 14.53

0.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.72 RON 35.11

$9.61 RON 43.70

-19.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 RON 29.47

$6.43 RON 29.25

0.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.81 RON 44.59

$11.51 RON 52.3

-14.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.61

$1.09 RON 4.94

12.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.73

$1.57 RON 7.14

8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.27

$1.60 RON 7.29

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 RON 8.36

$2.59 RON 11.78

-28.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 RON 4.88

$0.72 RON 3.25

48.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 RON 5.17

$0.99 RON 4.49

15.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RON 3.64

$0.72 RON 3.26

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.65

$0.79 RON 3.60

1.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 RON 26.74

$5.88 RON 26.75

Wine (Bottle)

$6.34 RON 28.81

$7.56 RON 34.39

-16.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 RON 5.91

$1.25 RON 5.69

4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 RON 10.24

$1.72 RON 7.84

30.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.28

$0.97 RON 4.39

-25.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.02 RON 105

$29.76 RON 135

-22.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 RON 2.54

$0.85 RON 3.87

-34.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.04

$0.83 RON 3.79

7.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 RON 30.69

$7.32 RON 33.26

-7.79%

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)

$27.5K RON 124.9K

$28.3K RON 128.5K

-2.76%

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

$27.6K RON 125.6K

$26.8K RON 121.8K

3.06%

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

$212 RON 964

$140 RON 636

51.55%

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

$8.08 RON 36.73

$8.29 RON 37.67

-2.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.58 RON 52.6

$9.39 RON 42.71

23.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.03 RON 168

$42.69 RON 194

-13.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.97 RON 86.2

$15.17 RON 69.0

25.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.54 RON 29.76

$7.84 RON 35.65

-16.58%

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

$434 RON 1,971

$496 RON 2,255

-12.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,856 RON 40.3K

$10.1K RON 46.1K

-12.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 RON 357

-0.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.91 RON 172

$42.72 RON 194

-11.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 RON 353

$82.5 RON 375

-5.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 RON 394

$96.2 RON 438

-9.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 RON 1,756

$489 RON 2,223

-20.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 RON 1,439

$355 RON 1,614

-10.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 RON 3,209

$717 RON 3,261

-1.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 RON 1,980

$599 RON 2,725

-27.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,735 RON 12.4K

$2,689 RON 12.2K

1.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,998 RON 9,082

$1,949 RON 8,862

2.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$945 RON 4,297

$1,206 RON 5,483

-21.62%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Timisoara: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Craiova and $489 in Timisoara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 28% 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 $204 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 2% 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, salaries run 28% lower in Timisoara. 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: $386 in Craiova versus $489 in Timisoara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,109 per month in Craiova versus $1,130 in Timisoara – a 2% 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 $1,109 in Craiova versus $1,130 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 $1,109 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 2% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.