Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Bacau Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Bacau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,130 per month in Timisoara vs $882 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,764 per month in Timisoara vs $1,466 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,397 per month in Timisoara vs $2,051 in Bacau, rent included.

Timisoara costs about 28% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Timisoara and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Timisoara 15% lower, Bacau 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.26 RON 42.11

$11.69 RON 53.1

-20.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 RON 262

$46.62 RON 212

23.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 RON 36.00

$8.10 RON 36.84

-2.22%

Cappuccino

$3.19 RON 14.50

$2.24 RON 10.17

42.41%

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

$2.28 RON 10.38

$2.10 RON 9.53

8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 RON 9.04

$1.90 RON 8.62

4.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 RON 12.23

$2.26 RON 10.27

19.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 RON 15.30

$3.66 RON 16.65

-7.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.96

$1.33 RON 6.04

15.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.95

$0.90 RON 4.10

45.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.88

$1.70 RON 7.72

-11.18%

Eggs

$3.20 RON 14.53

$3.72 RON 16.90

-13.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 RON 43.70

$8.56 RON 38.90

12.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 RON 29.25

$6.24 RON 28.35

3.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 RON 52.3

$9.07 RON 41.25

26.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.94

$1.27 RON 5.76

-14.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.14

$1.60 RON 7.27

-1.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.29

$1.64 RON 7.46

-2.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 RON 11.78

$1.87 RON 8.48

38.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.96 RON 4.38

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.49

$0.82 RON 3.72

20.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.26

$0.71 RON 3.24

1.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.60

$0.77 RON 3.50

2.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 RON 26.75

$5.87 RON 26.70

0.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.56 RON 34.39

$6.61 RON 30.05

14.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 RON 5.69

$0.92 RON 4.19

35.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 RON 7.84

$1.29 RON 5.88

33.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 RON 4.39

$0.63 RON 2.89

53.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 RON 135

$32.33 RON 147

-7.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.87

$0.61 RON 2.77

39.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.79

$0.62 RON 2.82

33.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 RON 33.26

$7.74 RON 35.20

-5.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.54

$1.60 RON 7.29

3.75%

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

$28.3K RON 128.5K

$28.6K RON 129.8K

-1.05%

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

$26.8K RON 121.8K

$26.1K RON 118.6K

2.71%

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

$140 RON 636

$117 RON 530

20.13%

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

$8.29 RON 37.67

$8.43 RON 38.33

-1.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.39 RON 42.71

$5.06 RON 22.99

85.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.69 RON 194

$25.75 RON 117

65.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.17 RON 69.0

$22.93 RON 104

-33.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 RON 35.65

$6.56 RON 29.84

19.51%

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

$496 RON 2,255

$657 RON 2,985

-24.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 46.1K

$5,489 RON 25.0K

84.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 RON 357

$93.3 RON 424

-15.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.72 RON 194

$35.15 RON 160

21.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 RON 375

$63.7 RON 290

29.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 RON 438

$95.6 RON 435

0.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 RON 2,223

$316 RON 1,438

54.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 RON 1,614

$181 RON 823

96.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 RON 3,261

$512 RON 2,328

40.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 RON 2,725

$369 RON 1,678

62.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,689 RON 12.2K

$1,889 RON 8,588

42.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 RON 8,862

$1,250 RON 5,684

55.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,206 RON 5,483

$1,021 RON 4,642

18.11%

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 28, 2026

Last update for Bacau: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $489 in Timisoara versus $316 in Bacau. 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 18% 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 $47.00 in Bacau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $218 vs $197 – making Bacau 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 Bacau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Timisoara is pricier by about 28%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,696 per month in Timisoara and $1,323 in Bacau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacau, 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 $47.00 in Bacau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,130 in Timisoara and $882 in Bacau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $882, than in Timisoara at $1,130. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Timisoara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Bacau. 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.