Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Arad Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Arad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,150 per month in Timisoara vs $884 in Arad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,792 per month in Timisoara vs $1,394 in Arad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,435 per month in Timisoara vs $1,904 in Arad, rent included.

Timisoara costs about 30% more than Arad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Timisoara and Arad are more affordable than the global median – Timisoara 14% lower, Arad 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.04 RON 40.86

$9.32 RON 42.13

-3.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 RON 264

$35.02 RON 158

67.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 RON 36.09

$7.04 RON 31.82

13.35%

Cappuccino

$3.13 RON 14.16

$2.30 RON 10.41

36.09%

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

$2.18 RON 9.84

$1.64 RON 7.39

32.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.97

$1.78 RON 8.03

11.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 RON 12.31

$2.04 RON 9.21

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 RON 15.83

$2.77 RON 12.54

26.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.93

$1.52 RON 6.86

0.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 RON 5.78

$1.26 RON 5.69

1.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.75

$1.52 RON 6.87

-1.97%

Eggs

$3.24 RON 14.63

$2.92 RON 13.22

10.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.76 RON 44.13

$8.11 RON 36.64

20.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 RON 28.99

$4.28 RON 19.36

49.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 RON 51.4

$8.65 RON 39.08

31.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.92

$1.18 RON 5.33

-7.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.87

$1.52 RON 6.86

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.03

$1.65 RON 7.46

-6.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 RON 11.68

$1.66 RON 7.50

55.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$0.80 RON 3.62

-2.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.41

$0.91 RON 4.13

7.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 RON 3.01

$1.02 RON 4.60

-34.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.33

$0.92 RON 4.18

-19.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 RON 26.46

$5.84 RON 26.38

0.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 RON 35.92

$6.23 RON 28.14

27.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 RON 5.44

$0.99 RON 4.49

21.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 RON 7.75

$1.59 RON 7.19

8.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 RON 4.29

$0.95 RON 4.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.04 RON 136

$23.51 RON 106

27.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.06

$0.85 RON 3.86

5.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.75

$0.87 RON 3.92

-4.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.18 RON 32.48

$8.98 RON 40.57

-20.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.11

$1.57 RON 7.07

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

$27.5K RON 124.2K

$28.1K RON 127.0K

-2.21%

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

$26.7K RON 120.5K

$26.6K RON 120.3K

0.16%

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

$139 RON 627

$111 RON 504

24.45%

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

$8.33 RON 37.67

$8.40 RON 37.98

-0.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.19 RON 41.53

$7.84 RON 35.46

17.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.01 RON 194

$38.80 RON 175

10.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.00 RON 67.8

$23.06 RON 104

-34.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 RON 36.13

$5.67 RON 25.62

40.92%

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

$491 RON 2,218

$228 RON 1,032

114.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K RON 46.5K

$6,887 RON 31.1K

49.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 RON 356

$40.72 RON 184

93.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.23 RON 195

$38.66 RON 175

11.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 RON 374

$79.9 RON 361

3.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.9 RON 429

$69.5 RON 314

36.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 RON 2,238

$320 RON 1,445

54.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 RON 1,620

$221 RON 1,000

61.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 RON 3,345

$564 RON 2,550

31.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 RON 2,742

$429 RON 1,938

41.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,652 RON 12.0K

$1,484 RON 6,706

78.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,964 RON 8,880

$1,097 RON 4,958

79.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,217 RON 5,502

$882 RON 3,986

38.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

6.5

2.46%

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

Last update for Timisoara: May 31, 2026

Last update for Arad: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $495 in Timisoara versus $320 in Arad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 38% higher in Timisoara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Timisoara versus $35.00 in Arad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $187 – making Arad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Timisoara vs Arad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Timisoara costs about 30% more than Arad, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,725 per month in Timisoara and $1,326 in Arad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Timisoara and $35.00 in Arad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,150 in Timisoara and $884 in Arad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arad, where all-in costs run around $884, than in Timisoara at $1,150. In Arad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Timisoara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arad costs $884 versus $1,150 in Timisoara. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Timisoara makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.