Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Bacau

For one person, living is cheaper in Bacau: $916 a month against $1,197 in Timisoara, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

57

Cost of Living Index in Timisoara
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Timisoara Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Bacau
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Bacau Living Index

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Timisoara

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,197

/mo nomad

Bacau

🇷🇴 Romania

$916

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Timisoara and in Bacau

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Timisoara and in Bacau actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,197 per month in Timisoara vs $916 in Bacau, rent included.

Timisoara $1,197
Bacau $916

A couple spends around $1,776 per month in Timisoara vs $1,552 in Bacau, rent included.

Timisoara $1,776
Bacau $1,552

A family of three spends $2,354 per month in Timisoara vs $2,189 in Bacau, rent included.

Timisoara $2,354
Bacau $2,189

Timisoara costs about 31% more than Bacau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Timisoara and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Timisoara 12% lower, Bacau 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.64 RON 50.9

$14.19 RON 67.9

-25.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.12 RON 221

$84.6 RON 405

-45.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.44 RON 40.38

$7.24 RON 34.64

16.57%

Cappuccino

$3.02 RON 14.45

$2.04 RON 9.77

48.04%

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

$2.20 RON 10.54

$2.01 RON 9.60

9.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RON 7.85

$1.87 RON 8.94

-12.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 RON 12.93

$2.47 RON 11.82

9.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 RON 19.63

$3.34 RON 15.96

22.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 RON 6.57

$1.18 RON 5.66

16.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 RON 5.74

$0.70 RON 3.34

71.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 RON 6.60

$1.69 RON 8.08

-18.34%

Eggs

$2.92 RON 13.96

$3.47 RON 16.59

-15.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.40 RON 40.20

$7.68 RON 36.75

9.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 RON 28.15

$5.33 RON 25.50

10.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.89 RON 52.1

$8.30 RON 39.70

31.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 RON 5.50

$1.10 RON 5.24

4.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 RON 6.98

$1.48 RON 7.08

-1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.70

$1.49 RON 7.11

-6.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 RON 11.35

$1.83 RON 8.76

29.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.69

$0.72 RON 3.47

6.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.60

$0.68 RON 3.27

41.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 RON 3.06

$0.75 RON 3.57

-14.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.76

$0.72 RON 3.44

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.25 RON 29.89

$5.35 RON 25.59

16.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.46 RON 35.72

$5.25 RON 25.13

42.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.43

$1.02 RON 4.88

11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 RON 8.37

$1.17 RON 5.62

49.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 RON 5.12

$0.70 RON 3.34

52.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.33 RON 159

$29.15 RON 139

14.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 RON 4.04

$0.61 RON 2.92

37.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 RON 4.16

$0.65 RON 3.10

33.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 RON 40.18

$6.72 RON 32.17

25.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 RON 9.10

$1.78 RON 8.51

6.74%

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

$28.9K RON 138.2K

-0.06%

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

$24.8K RON 118.4K

$24.8K RON 118.9K

-0.36%

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

$168 RON 803

$106 RON 507

58.31%

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

$6.72 RON 32.15

$7.47 RON 35.74

-10.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.47 RON 40.52

$4.63 RON 22.15

82.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.08 RON 192

$25.29 RON 121

58.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.65 RON 74.9

$15.98 RON 76.5

-2.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 RON 37.61

$6.09 RON 29.12

29.06%

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

$583 RON 2,788

$589 RON 2,817

-1.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,900 RON 42.6K

$4,986 RON 23.9K

78.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.7 RON 362

$85.0 RON 407

-10.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.89 RON 186

$31.98 RON 153

21.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.5 RON 361

$60.3 RON 288

25.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 RON 427

$83.2 RON 398

7.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 RON 2,716

$416 RON 1,991

36.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$404 RON 1,931

$236 RON 1,130

70.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$802 RON 3,836

$549 RON 2,624

46.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$600 RON 2,868

$405 RON 1,937

48.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,656 RON 12.7K

$1,805 RON 8,634

47.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,847 RON 8,837

$1,229 RON 5,879

50.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,151 RON 5,508

$936 RON 4,480

22.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.88

6.97

-1.29%

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

Last update for Timisoara: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bacau: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Timisoara

$404 33.7%

Bacau

$236 25.8% 41.5% $167

Groceries & Markets

Timisoara

$202 16.9%

Bacau

$177 19.3% 12.8% $26

Eating Out

Timisoara

$184 15.4%

Bacau

$194 21.2% 5.7% $10

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Timisoara

$183 15.3%

Bacau

$118 12.9% 35.5% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Timisoara

$126 10.5%

Bacau

$117 12.8% 6.8% $8.5

Sport & Entertainment

Timisoara

$56 4.7%

Bacau

$37 4.1% 32.9% $18

Getting Around

Timisoara

$43 3.6%

Bacau

$36 3.9% 16.4% $7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $568 in Timisoara versus $416 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 23% 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 $46 in Timisoara versus $85 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Timisoara vs $177 in Bacau – so Bacau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Timisoara

🇷🇴 Bacau

🕒 Local time

05:45 5:45 AM

Same time as Timisoara

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

319,279

144,307

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.209 USD

1 RON = 0.187 EUR

1 RON = 0.209 USD

1 RON = 0.187 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Timisoara Bacau 450 km

From you

Timisoara
Bacau

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 31%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,796 per month in Timisoara and $1,373 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $416 there versus $568 in Timisoara.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46 in Timisoara and $85 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 $1,197 in Timisoara and $916 in Bacau. That makes Bacau about 24% cheaper.

It depends on your priorities. Timisoara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $916 in Bacau to $1,197 in Timisoara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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