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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,139 per month in Timisoara vs $886 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,784 per month in Timisoara vs $1,475 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,429 per month in Timisoara vs $2,063 in Bacau, rent included.

Timisoara costs about 29% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.41 RON 41.02

$11.62 RON 50.7

-19.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 252

$46.60 RON 203

23.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 RON 34.64

$8.13 RON 35.44

-2.21%

Cappuccino

$3.29 RON 14.33

$2.27 RON 9.91

44.93%

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

$2.28 RON 9.94

$2.14 RON 9.31

6.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.35

$1.82 RON 7.94

4.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 RON 12.31

$2.28 RON 9.93

23.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 14.92

$3.53 RON 15.41

-3.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.67

$1.38 RON 6.03

10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 RON 5.54

$0.85 RON 3.71

49.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.47

$1.71 RON 7.45

-13.45%

Eggs

$3.24 RON 14.13

$3.66 RON 15.96

-11.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 RON 40.83

$8.60 RON 37.49

8.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 RON 28.72

$6.43 RON 28.02

2.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 RON 49.57

$9.15 RON 39.91

24.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.77

$1.22 RON 5.31

-10.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 6.87

$1.62 RON 7.07

-2.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 RON 6.68

$1.68 RON 7.31

-8.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 RON 11.22

$1.84 RON 8.01

39.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 RON 3.14

$0.96 RON 4.18

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.30

$0.89 RON 3.89

11.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 RON 2.95

$0.72 RON 3.15

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.22

$0.79 RON 3.46

-6.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 RON 26.43

$5.86 RON 25.56

3.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.24 RON 35.94

$7.03 RON 30.64

17.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 RON 5.45

$0.94 RON 4.09

32.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 RON 7.61

$1.28 RON 5.59

36.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 RON 4.07

$0.65 RON 2.81

43.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.19 RON 132

$32.34 RON 141

-6.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 RON 3.85

$0.63 RON 2.73

39.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 RON 3.46

$0.65 RON 2.84

21.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.43 RON 32.39

$7.44 RON 32.45

-0.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 6.93

$1.53 RON 6.66

3.92%

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

$27.8K RON 121.1K

$28.4K RON 123.9K

-2.27%

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

$25.9K RON 112.9K

$26.2K RON 114.4K

-1.26%

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

$140 RON 611

$114 RON 499

22.44%

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

$8.68 RON 37.84

$8.38 RON 36.55

3.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.22 RON 40.19

$5.07 RON 22.12

81.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.11 RON 188

$25.14 RON 110

71.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.17 RON 66.2

$23.01 RON 100

-34.07%

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 RON 35.02

$6.49 RON 28.30

23.73%

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

$502 RON 2,188

$643 RON 2,805

-21.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 43.9K

$5,453 RON 23.8K

84.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.6 RON 342

$93.0 RON 405

-15.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.54 RON 185

$34.45 RON 150

23.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 RON 362

$62.4 RON 272

33.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.9 RON 422

$95.9 RON 418

1.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 RON 2,131

$326 RON 1,423

49.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 RON 1,560

$182 RON 794

96.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 RON 3,226

$502 RON 2,190

47.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 RON 2,591

$361 RON 1,575

64.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,664 RON 11.6K

$1,930 RON 8,416

38.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,982 RON 8,641

$1,279 RON 5,578

54.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,276 RON 5,562

$1,060 RON 4,620

20.40%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bacau: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $489 in Timisoara versus $326 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 20% 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 $199 – 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 29%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,709 per month in Timisoara and $1,329 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 $1,139 in Timisoara and $886 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 $886, than in Timisoara at $1,139. 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.