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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,214 per month in Timisoara vs $929 in Arad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Timisoara vs $1,459 in Arad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,523 per month in Timisoara vs $1,990 in Arad, rent included.

Timisoara costs about 31% more than Arad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Timisoara and Arad are more affordable than the global median – Timisoara 12% lower, Arad 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 RON 49.25

$8.62 RON 38.94

26.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 RON 218

$34.56 RON 156

39.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 RON 39.10

$7.85 RON 35.47

10.32%

Cappuccino

$3.18 RON 14.37

$2.67 RON 12.08

19.10%

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

$2.16 RON 9.74

$1.57 RON 7.07

37.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 RON 7.65

$1.68 RON 7.60

0.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 RON 11.76

$2.25 RON 10.18

15.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 RON 19.55

$2.57 RON 11.61

68.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 RON 6.76

$1.18 RON 5.35

27.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 RON 5.98

$1.25 RON 5.66

5.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.28

$1.76 RON 7.94

-21.02%

Eggs

$3.01 RON 13.58

$2.83 RON 12.78

6.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 RON 40.92

$7.35 RON 33.22

23.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 RON 29.11

$4.99 RON 22.54

29.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.54 RON 52.1

$10.88 RON 49.13

6.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 RON 5.42

$1.78 RON 8.02

-32.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.19

$1.83 RON 8.28

-13.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.02

$1.80 RON 8.15

-13.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 RON 11.38

$1.50 RON 6.77

68.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.53

$0.83 RON 3.74

-6.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.67

$0.91 RON 4.11

13.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$1.29 RON 5.83

-44.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 RON 3.73

$0.82 RON 3.70

1.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.71 RON 30.32

$6.03 RON 27.23

11.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 RON 34.71

$5.95 RON 26.89

29.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 RON 5.46

$1.25 RON 5.66

-3.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.04

$1.80 RON 8.15

-1.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 RON 5.05

$0.97 RON 4.40

15.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.80 RON 162

$30.73 RON 139

16.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 RON 3.81

$0.90 RON 4.08

-6.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$1.09 RON 4.90

-21.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 RON 40.55

$11.23 RON 50.7

-20.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 RON 8.38

$1.82 RON 8.24

2.20%

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

$29.3K RON 132.4K

$28.4K RON 128.5K

3.09%

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

$25.4K RON 114.6K

$26.0K RON 117.7K

-2.58%

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

$176 RON 793

$132 RON 594

33.46%

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

$6.89 RON 31.11

$8.77 RON 39.60

-21.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.25 RON 41.77

$7.61 RON 34.39

21.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.89 RON 185

$36.43 RON 165

12.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.41 RON 74.1

$33.75 RON 152

-51.38%

Cinema Ticket

$8.83 RON 39.87

$5.39 RON 24.35

63.82%

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

$625 RON 2,824

$167 RON 753

275.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,074 RON 41.0K

$4,022 RON 18.2K

125.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.6 RON 360

$44.82 RON 202

77.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.93 RON 189

$22.22 RON 100

88.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 RON 364

$73.2 RON 330

10.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 RON 419

$76.7 RON 346

20.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 RON 2,551

$349 RON 1,579

61.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 RON 1,699

$235 RON 1,061

60.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 RON 3,932

$556 RON 2,513

56.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 RON 2,916

$436 RON 1,969

48.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,637 RON 11.9K

$1,516 RON 6,845

74.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,947 RON 8,796

$1,092 RON 4,930

78.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,222 RON 5,520

$956 RON 4,320

27.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.88

7.35

-6.39%

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

Last update for Timisoara: August 31, 2026

Last update for Arad: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $565 in Timisoara versus $349 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 28% 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 $48.00 in Timisoara versus $35.00 in Arad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $198 – 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 31% 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 $1,821 per month in Timisoara and $1,394 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 $48.00 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 $1,214 in Timisoara and $929 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 $929, than in Timisoara at $1,214. 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 $929 versus $1,214 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.