Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ploiesti and Timisoara

For one person, living is cheaper in Ploiesti: $1,088 a month against $1,158 in Timisoara, rent and utilities included – about $840 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Timisoara outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Ploiesti
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,088
/mo nomad
Timisoara
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,158
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ploiesti and in Timisoara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ploiesti and in Timisoara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,088 in Ploiesti versus $1,158 in Timisoara.

  • Ploiesti $1,088
  • Timisoara $1,158

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,663 in Ploiesti versus $1,757 in Timisoara.

  • Ploiesti $1,663
  • Timisoara $1,757

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,238 in Ploiesti versus $2,355 in Timisoara.

  • Ploiesti $2,238
  • Timisoara $2,355

Living in Ploiesti costs roughly 6% less than in Timisoara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ploiesti 20% lower, Timisoara 15% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ploiesti
Timisoara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.59 RON 54.8
$10.56 RON 49.97
9.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.97 RON 222
$45.44 RON 215
3.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.85 RON 37.15
$8.35 RON 39.51
-5.99%
Cappuccino
$2.97 RON 14.07
$2.93 RON 13.87
1.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 RON 10.07
$2.14 RON 10.11
-0.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 RON 10.01
$1.66 RON 7.85
27.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.50 RON 11.81
$2.70 RON 12.77
-7.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32 RON 15.71
$4.27 RON 20.22
-22.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ploiesti
Timisoara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.58 RON 7.46
$1.39 RON 6.58
13.67%
White Bread (500g)
$1.17 RON 5.54
$1.21 RON 5.71
-3.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 RON 7.11
$1.33 RON 6.31
12.78%
Eggs
$3.24 RON 15.31
$2.81 RON 13.32
15.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.85 RON 37.15
$8.37 RON 39.61
-6.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.60 RON 31.21
$6.09 RON 28.81
8.37%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.28 RON 43.90
$11.02 RON 52.2
-15.79%
Apples (1kg)
$1.30 RON 6.16
$1.15 RON 5.42
13.04%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 RON 8.17
$1.45 RON 6.86
19.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.38 RON 6.55
$1.47 RON 6.94
-6.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.00 RON 9.47
$2.34 RON 11.07
-14.53%
Potato (1kg)
$0.78 RON 3.71
$0.74 RON 3.50
5.41%
Onion (1kg)
$0.78 RON 3.67
$0.94 RON 4.44
-17.02%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.69 RON 3.28
$0.67 RON 3.17
2.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 RON 3.68
$0.77 RON 3.66
1.30%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.44 RON 30.46
$6.17 RON 29.17
4.38%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.67 RON 31.58
$7.52 RON 35.58
-11.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.99 RON 4.69
$1.15 RON 5.44
-13.91%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 RON 6.63
$1.76 RON 8.31
-20.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Ploiesti
Timisoara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.82 RON 3.90
$1.02 RON 4.85
-19.61%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$21.31 RON 101
$34.21 RON 162
-37.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.62 RON 2.93
$0.87 RON 4.10
-28.74%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.64 RON 3.05
$0.82 RON 3.87
-21.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.38 RON 30.18
$8.54 RON 40.39
-25.29%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.85 RON 8.77
$1.88 RON 8.90
-1.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.8K RON 136.4K
$28.8K RON 136.3K
0.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.2K RON 119.1K
$24.7K RON 116.8K
1.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ploiesti
Timisoara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$167 RON 792
$168 RON 793
-0.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.27 RON 29.67
$6.42 RON 30.37
-2.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.86 RON 41.91
$8.59 RON 40.62
3.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ploiesti
Timisoara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.37 RON 205
$38.76 RON 183
11.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$21.38 RON 101
$15.71 RON 74.3
36.09%
Cinema Ticket
$8.66 RON 40.98
$8.26 RON 39.10
4.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ploiesti
Timisoara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$399 RON 1,889
$583 RON 2,757
-31.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,802 RON 27.5K
$8,838 RON 41.8K
-34.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ploiesti
Timisoara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.4 RON 347
$73.7 RON 349
-0.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.40 RON 201
$40.19 RON 190
5.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.5 RON 442
$76.1 RON 360
22.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.3 RON 460
$88.5 RON 419
9.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ploiesti
Timisoara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$421 RON 1,990
$534 RON 2,528
-21.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$290 RON 1,371
$366 RON 1,731
-20.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$568 RON 2,685
$843 RON 3,987
-32.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$459 RON 2,170
$607 RON 2,872
-24.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,967 RON 9,305
$2,572 RON 12.2K
-23.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,226 RON 5,802
$1,886 RON 8,924
-34.98%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ploiesti
Timisoara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$993 RON 4,698
$1,147 RON 5,427
-13.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.85
6.88
14.10%

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

Last update for Ploiesti: October 20, 2026

Last update for Timisoara: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ploiesti
$290
Timisoara
$366 26.3% $76
Groceries & Markets
Ploiesti
$200
Timisoara
$204 1.6% $3.2
Eating Out
Ploiesti
$188
Timisoara
$182 3.3% $6.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ploiesti
$183
Timisoara
$183 0% $0
Clothing & Footwear
Ploiesti
$138
Timisoara
$125 9.1% $13
Sport & Entertainment
Ploiesti
$61
Timisoara
$55 8.9% $5.4
Getting Around
Ploiesti
$28
Timisoara
$43 52.1% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $421 in Ploiesti and $534 in Timisoara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 16% 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: $47.00 in Ploiesti vs $45.00 in Timisoara. Groceries flip the comparison at $200 vs $204, with Ploiesti cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇷🇴 Ploiesti
🇷🇴 Timisoara
🕒 Local time
15:29 3:29 PM
15:29 3:29 PM
Same time as Ploiesti
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
224,406
319,279
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ploiesti Timisoara 390 km
From you
  • Ploiesti
  • Timisoara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Ploiesti vs Timisoara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ploiesti or Timisoara?
Ploiesti wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Timisoara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ploiesti the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ploiesti or in Timisoara?
On paper, salaries run 16% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ploiesti compared to Timisoara?
Rent for a central apartment: $421 in Ploiesti versus $534 in Timisoara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Ploiesti and in Timisoara?
Dining out is cheaper in Ploiesti – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $45.00 in Timisoara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Ploiesti compared to Timisoara?
All in, you'll spend $1,088 per month in Ploiesti versus $1,158 in Timisoara – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ploiesti or in Timisoara?
At $1,088 in Ploiesti versus $1,158 in Timisoara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ploiesti but tight or insufficient in Timisoara. The gap between the two cities makes Ploiesti the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ploiesti or Timisoara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ploiesti delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,088 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ploiesti hard to pass up.
How safe is Ploiesti compared to Timisoara?
Safety-wise, Ploiesti 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ploiesti gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ploiesti vs other spots: cost of living compared

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