Cost of Living Comparison Between Piestany and Satu Mare Cost of Living Comparison Between Piestany and Satu Mare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,319 in Piestany versus $971 in Satu Mare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,826 in Piestany versus $1,485 in Satu Mare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,333 in Piestany versus $1,999 in Satu Mare.

Living in Piestany is roughly 36% more expensive than in Satu Mare, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Piestany 4% lower, Satu Mare 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.73 €6.65

$8.95 RON 40.41

-13.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.95 €23.18

$34.28 RON 155

-21.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 €6.89

$6.60 RON 29.81

21.52%

Cappuccino

$2.02 €1.74

$2.64 RON 11.92

-23.48%

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

$1.65 €1.42

$1.51 RON 6.83

9.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 €1.01

$1.41 RON 6.36

-17.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 €1.28

$2.05 RON 9.25

-27.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.52 RON 11.38

-5.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 €0.87

$1.20 RON 5.42

-15.83%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 €0.82

$1.14 RON 5.13

-15.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 €0.78

$1.20 RON 5.41

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.83 €2.43

$2.79 RON 12.58

1.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 €7.69

$7.42 RON 33.51

20.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.69 €5.75

$7.71 RON 34.80

-13.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 €9.61

$11.34 RON 51.2

-1.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 €1.81

$1.19 RON 5.36

77.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$1.42 RON 6.39

7.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 €1.79

$1.36 RON 6.14

52.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 €3.99

$1.47 RON 6.64

215.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 €1.08

$1.20 RON 5.44

4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 €1.41

$1.44 RON 6.51

13.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 €1.18

$0.97 RON 4.40

42.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 €0.57

$0.73 RON 3.30

-8.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 €4.81

$5.77 RON 26.07

-3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.12 €4.40

$6.49 RON 29.29

-21.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 €0.76

$1.26 RON 5.67

-29.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 €1.47

$1.86 RON 8.42

-8.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 €0.91

$0.57 RON 2.57

85.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.38 RON 110

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 €2.45

$0.83 RON 3.73

243.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 €0.98

$0.86 RON 3.88

31.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.52 €20.22

$8.81 RON 39.77

166.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 €1.57

$1.57 RON 7.08

16.56%

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

$27.2K €23.4K

$24.1K RON 108.9K

12.91%

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

$28.7K €24.7K

$26.1K RON 117.8K

9.96%

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

$227 €195

$133 RON 602

70.29%

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

$17.07 €14.68

$7.73 RON 34.88

120.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.48 €14.17

$7.70 RON 34.77

114.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.77 €36.78

$44.36 RON 200

-3.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.53 €16.80

$11.16 RON 50.4

75.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.09 €6.95

$6.83 RON 30.83

18.45%

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

$345 €297

$165 RON 746

109.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K €9,280

$4,075 RON 18.4K

164.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.41 €40.77

$63.1 RON 285

-24.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 €29.89

$29.49 RON 133

17.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 €50.9

$88.6 RON 400

-33.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.58 €39.19

$74.1 RON 335

-38.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$670 €576

$337 RON 1,522

98.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 €465

$277 RON 1,250

95.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$997 €857

$666 RON 3,007

49.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$795 €683

$421 RON 1,902

88.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,443 €2,961

$1,050 RON 4,742

227.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 €2,238

$1,090 RON 4,919

138.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,197 €1,029

$685 RON 3,093

74.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.3

7.05

-53.19%

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

Last update for Piestany: September 5, 2026

Last update for Satu Mare: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $670 in Piestany and $337 in Satu Mare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Piestany pays 70% 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: $27.00 in Piestany vs $34.00 in Satu Mare. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $205, with Satu Mare cheaper for home cooking.

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

Piestany vs Satu Mare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Satu Mare is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 70% higher in Piestany, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $670 in Piestany versus $337 in Satu Mare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Piestany. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,319 per month in Piestany versus $971 in Satu Mare – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $971 in Satu Mare versus $1,319 in Piestany, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Satu Mare but tight or insufficient in Piestany. The gap between the two cities makes Satu Mare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Piestany and Satu Mare 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 Satu Mare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Piestany. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.