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: $1,219 in Craiova versus $1,184 in Timisoara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,775 in Craiova versus $1,820 in Timisoara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,331 in Craiova versus $2,455 in Timisoara.

Living in Craiova is roughly 3% more expensive than in Timisoara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Craiova 11% lower, Timisoara 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 RON 34.28

$10.78 RON 49.48

-30.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.52 RON 172

$48.57 RON 223

-22.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 RON 35.45

$8.57 RON 39.33

-9.80%

Cappuccino

$2.87 RON 13.18

$3.05 RON 13.98

-5.90%

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

$2.31 RON 10.59

$2.29 RON 10.49

0.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 RON 8.73

$1.78 RON 8.17

6.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.45 RON 11.26

$2.62 RON 12.03

-6.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 RON 16.58

$4.52 RON 20.76

-20.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 RON 6.06

$1.47 RON 6.75

-10.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 RON 4.22

$1.26 RON 5.79

-26.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 RON 6.86

$1.45 RON 6.64

3.45%

Eggs

$3.44 RON 15.77

$3.08 RON 14.11

11.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 RON 34.60

$8.76 RON 40.19

-13.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 RON 30.73

$6.40 RON 29.37

4.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.65 RON 53.5

$11.67 RON 53.5

-0.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.79

$1.23 RON 5.66

-15.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.99

$1.58 RON 7.26

-3.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.99

$1.53 RON 7.02

-0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.90 RON 8.71

$2.44 RON 11.19

-22.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 RON 3.92

$0.76 RON 3.50

13.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.32

$1.02 RON 4.69

-7.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 RON 3.51

$0.73 RON 3.37

5.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.38

$0.78 RON 3.57

-5.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.70 RON 30.75

$6.69 RON 30.71

0.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 RON 30.90

$7.60 RON 34.85

-11.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 RON 5.44

$1.24 RON 5.70

-4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 RON 7.36

$1.80 RON 8.24

-11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 RON 4.08

$1.08 RON 4.95

-17.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.08 RON 120

$35.39 RON 162

-26.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.88

$0.85 RON 3.91

-25.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.91

$0.89 RON 4.10

-28.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 RON 30.37

$8.82 RON 40.48

-24.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.88 RON 8.61

$1.92 RON 8.80

-2.08%

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

$29.6K RON 136.0K

$29.3K RON 134.5K

1.10%

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

$27.3K RON 125.1K

$25.6K RON 117.5K

6.51%

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

$206 RON 947

$176 RON 809

17.04%

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

$10.52 RON 48.28

$6.85 RON 31.43

53.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.68 RON 53.6

$9.14 RON 41.92

27.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.43 RON 190

$41.11 RON 189

0.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.75 RON 104

$16.53 RON 75.8

37.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.91 RON 36.28

$8.40 RON 38.55

-5.83%

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

$441 RON 2,025

$613 RON 2,812

-27.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,696 RON 39.9K

$9,005 RON 41.3K

-3.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 RON 270

$76.9 RON 353

-23.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.69 RON 228

$42.26 RON 194

17.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 RON 379

$79.9 RON 366

3.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 497

$95.2 RON 437

13.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$536 RON 2,460

$564 RON 2,588

-4.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 RON 1,840

$378 RON 1,736

5.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$921 RON 4,225

$871 RON 3,995

5.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 RON 2,836

$635 RON 2,914

-2.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,767 RON 12.7K

$2,565 RON 11.8K

7.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,050 RON 9,407

$1,911 RON 8,769

7.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$981 RON 4,500

$1,192 RON 5,471

-17.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.84

6.88

-0.58%

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

Last update for Craiova: September 15, 2026

Last update for Timisoara: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $536 in Craiova and $564 in Timisoara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Craiova vs $49.00 in Timisoara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $214 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

Timisoara wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Craiova. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Timisoara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 22% 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: $536 in Craiova versus $564 in Timisoara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,219 per month in Craiova versus $1,184 in Timisoara – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Timisoara runs roughly 36% less than in Craiova. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,184 in Timisoara versus $1,219 in Craiova, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Timisoara but tight or insufficient in Craiova. The gap between the two cities makes Timisoara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Timisoara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,184 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Timisoara 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 Timisoara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Craiova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.