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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,184 per month in Timisoara vs $969 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,820 per month in Timisoara vs $1,621 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,455 per month in Timisoara vs $2,273 in Bacau, rent included.

Timisoara costs about 22% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Timisoara and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Timisoara 13% lower, Bacau 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.78 RON 49.48

$14.97 RON 68.7

-27.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.57 RON 223

$86.4 RON 396

-43.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 RON 39.33

$7.80 RON 35.77

9.87%

Cappuccino

$3.05 RON 13.98

$2.14 RON 9.83

42.52%

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

$2.29 RON 10.49

$2.10 RON 9.62

9.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.17

$1.91 RON 8.76

-6.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 RON 12.03

$2.71 RON 12.43

-3.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 RON 20.76

$3.39 RON 15.55

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 RON 6.75

$1.24 RON 5.71

18.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.79

$0.69 RON 3.18

82.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.64

$1.79 RON 8.23

-18.99%

Eggs

$3.08 RON 14.11

$3.52 RON 16.15

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 RON 40.19

$7.86 RON 36.04

11.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 RON 29.37

$5.59 RON 25.65

14.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 RON 53.5

$8.81 RON 40.42

32.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.66

$1.15 RON 5.27

6.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.26

$1.51 RON 6.95

4.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 RON 7.02

$1.65 RON 7.58

-7.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 RON 11.19

$1.89 RON 8.65

29.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.50

$0.72 RON 3.28

5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.69

$0.73 RON 3.33

39.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 RON 3.37

$0.76 RON 3.47

-3.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.57

$0.77 RON 3.55

1.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.69 RON 30.71

$5.71 RON 26.21

17.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 RON 34.85

$5.44 RON 24.96

39.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.70

$1.02 RON 4.69

21.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 RON 8.24

$1.29 RON 5.93

39.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RON 4.95

$0.78 RON 3.59

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.39 RON 162

$30.97 RON 142

14.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.91

$0.61 RON 2.78

39.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.10

$0.69 RON 3.18

28.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.82 RON 40.48

$7.16 RON 32.83

23.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 RON 8.80

$1.79 RON 8.20

7.26%

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

$29.3K RON 134.5K

$28.8K RON 132.3K

1.67%

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

$25.6K RON 117.5K

$26.0K RON 119.3K

-1.56%

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

$176 RON 809

$109 RON 502

60.99%

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

$6.85 RON 31.43

$7.82 RON 35.89

-12.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.14 RON 41.92

$5.08 RON 23.29

79.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.11 RON 189

$27.15 RON 125

51.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 RON 75.8

$16.73 RON 76.7

-1.20%

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 RON 38.55

$6.50 RON 29.82

29.23%

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

$613 RON 2,812

$604 RON 2,771

1.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,005 RON 41.3K

$5,174 RON 23.7K

74.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 RON 353

$86.9 RON 399

-11.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.26 RON 194

$32.84 RON 151

28.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 RON 366

$63.5 RON 291

25.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 RON 437

$88.7 RON 407

7.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,588

$426 RON 1,954

32.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 RON 1,736

$249 RON 1,144

51.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 RON 3,995

$560 RON 2,571

55.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 RON 2,914

$421 RON 1,934

50.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,565 RON 11.8K

$1,878 RON 8,616

36.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,911 RON 8,769

$1,271 RON 5,830

50.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,192 RON 5,471

$1,002 RON 4,598

18.99%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bacau: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $564 in Timisoara versus $426 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 19% 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 $49.00 in Timisoara versus $86.0 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $214 in Timisoara vs $184 in Bacau – so Bacau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 22%, 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 $1,776 per month in Timisoara and $1,454 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 $49.00 in Timisoara and $86.0 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 $1,184 in Timisoara and $969 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 $969, than in Timisoara at $1,184. 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.