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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,115 per month in Timisoara vs $878 in Arad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,748 per month in Timisoara vs $1,385 in Arad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,380 per month in Timisoara vs $1,893 in Arad, rent included.

Timisoara costs about 27% more than Arad, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Timisoara and Arad are more affordable than the global median – Timisoara 17% lower, Arad 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.35 RON 42.92

$9.18 RON 42.13

1.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 RON 264

$33.99 RON 156

69.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 RON 36.17

$6.84 RON 31.39

15.20%

Cappuccino

$3.26 RON 14.98

$2.27 RON 10.42

43.61%

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

$2.17 RON 9.94

$1.56 RON 7.18

39.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.98

$1.75 RON 8.05

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.84 RON 13.02

$2.09 RON 9.57

35.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 RON 16.28

$2.70 RON 12.40

31.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.99

$1.50 RON 6.89

1.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 RON 6.08

$1.22 RON 5.61

8.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 RON 6.91

$1.54 RON 7.06

-2.60%

Eggs

$3.14 RON 14.43

$2.94 RON 13.50

6.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 RON 42.35

$7.87 RON 36.14

17.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 RON 29.56

$4.32 RON 19.83

49.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 RON 52.1

$8.78 RON 40.29

29.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 RON 5.16

$1.21 RON 5.53

-7.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.22

$1.59 RON 7.32

-1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 RON 7.05

$1.73 RON 7.92

-10.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 RON 11.35

$1.69 RON 7.78

46.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 RON 3.28

$0.77 RON 3.55

-6.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.51

$0.87 RON 3.99

12.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 RON 3.15

$1.06 RON 4.85

-34.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.58

$0.86 RON 3.97

-9.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.92 RON 27.15

$5.74 RON 26.33

3.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.50 RON 34.45

$5.29 RON 24.29

41.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 RON 5.55

$1.03 RON 4.75

17.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.94

$1.64 RON 7.53

5.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.91 RON 4.17

4.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.48 RON 135

$23.47 RON 108

25.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 RON 4.08

$0.90 RON 4.14

-1.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.95

$0.87 RON 3.97

-1.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.34 RON 33.67

$9.34 RON 42.89

-21.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.35

$1.57 RON 7.20

1.91%

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

$28.5K RON 130.7K

$28.4K RON 130.5K

0.09%

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

$26.3K RON 120.8K

$26.8K RON 122.9K

-1.67%

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

$136 RON 626

$108 RON 498

25.93%

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

$8.39 RON 38.51

$8.55 RON 39.25

-1.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.53 RON 43.74

$7.65 RON 35.10

24.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.81 RON 201

$38.59 RON 177

13.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.17 RON 69.7

$23.10 RON 106

-34.33%

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 RON 37.19

$5.79 RON 26.59

39.90%

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

$501 RON 2,299

$227 RON 1,041

120.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 46.2K

$6,930 RON 31.8K

45.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.3 RON 355

$39.65 RON 182

95.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.28 RON 194

$38.74 RON 178

9.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.3 RON 373

$80.7 RON 371

0.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 RON 444

$70.1 RON 322

37.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 RON 2,290

$317 RON 1,457

57.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 RON 1,607

$216 RON 990

62.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 RON 3,410

$565 RON 2,594

31.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 RON 2,697

$437 RON 2,004

34.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,650 RON 12.2K

$1,456 RON 6,685

81.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,916 RON 8,796

$1,105 RON 5,074

73.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,238 RON 5,681

$847 RON 3,889

46.07%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Arad: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $499 in Timisoara versus $317 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 46% 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 $34.00 in Arad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $215 vs $185 – 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 27% 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 $1,673 per month in Timisoara and $1,316 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 $34.00 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 $1,115 in Timisoara and $878 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 $878, than in Timisoara at $1,115. 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 $878 versus $1,115 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.