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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,122 per month in Timisoara vs $899 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,773 per month in Timisoara vs $1,454 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,424 per month in Timisoara vs $2,010 in Bacau, rent included.

Timisoara costs about 25% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Timisoara and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Timisoara 17% lower, Bacau 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 RON 40.96

$11.29 RON 51.1

-19.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 RON 265

$45.51 RON 206

28.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 RON 37.47

$8.28 RON 37.43

Cappuccino

$3.28 RON 14.82

$2.19 RON 9.93

49.77%

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

$2.26 RON 10.21

$2.18 RON 9.85

3.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RON 9.17

$1.88 RON 8.53

7.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 RON 12.78

$2.23 RON 10.11

26.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 RON 15.39

$3.53 RON 15.97

-3.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.86

$1.35 RON 6.09

12.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.91

$0.85 RON 3.83

54.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.70

$1.70 RON 7.69

-12.94%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.70

$3.75 RON 16.98

-13.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 RON 43.56

$8.61 RON 38.96

11.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 RON 30.02

$6.16 RON 27.86

7.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 RON 52.3

$9.34 RON 42.25

23.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.92

$1.25 RON 5.67

-12.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.03

$1.57 RON 7.11

-1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.30

$1.72 RON 7.80

-6.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 RON 11.10

$1.83 RON 8.27

33.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 RON 3.30

$0.90 RON 4.07

-18.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.59

$0.87 RON 3.96

17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 RON 3.30

$0.67 RON 3.02

8.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 RON 3.30

$0.75 RON 3.38

-2.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 RON 26.06

$5.74 RON 25.98

0.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RON 35.23

$6.72 RON 30.41

15.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 RON 5.41

$0.92 RON 4.18

30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.61

$1.33 RON 6.03

26.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 RON 4.08

$0.64 RON 2.90

40.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.98 RON 136

$31.92 RON 144

-6.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.07

$0.63 RON 2.84

42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$0.62 RON 2.80

37.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.35 RON 33.25

$7.38 RON 33.38

-0.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.42

$1.60 RON 7.26

2.50%

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

$27.9K RON 126.3K

$27.9K RON 126.0K

0.19%

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

$26.0K RON 117.8K

$26.2K RON 118.5K

-0.60%

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

$140 RON 631

$117 RON 528

19.56%

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

$8.54 RON 38.62

$8.35 RON 37.78

2.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.01 RON 40.78

$5.17 RON 23.37

74.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.38 RON 196

$24.99 RON 113

73.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.02 RON 68.0

$22.58 RON 102

-33.48%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 RON 37.49

$6.59 RON 29.83

25.80%

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

$506 RON 2,287

$644 RON 2,913

-21.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 45.8K

$5,313 RON 24.0K

90.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 RON 347

$92.5 RON 418

-17.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.61 RON 193

$35.73 RON 162

19.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 RON 373

$63.1 RON 286

30.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 RON 436

$98.7 RON 447

-2.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 RON 2,247

$316 RON 1,432

56.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 RON 1,629

$187 RON 846

92.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 RON 3,299

$503 RON 2,276

44.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$586 RON 2,650

$370 RON 1,675

58.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,722 RON 12.3K

$1,846 RON 8,352

47.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,009 RON 9,086

$1,248 RON 5,647

60.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,228 RON 5,554

$1,037 RON 4,693

18.36%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Bacau: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $497 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 $46.00 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 25%, 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 $1,683 per month in Timisoara and $1,348 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 $46.00 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 $1,122 in Timisoara and $899 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 $899, than in Timisoara at $1,122. 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.