Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Baia Mare Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Baia Mare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,122 in Timisoara versus $887 in Baia Mare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,773 in Timisoara versus $1,427 in Baia Mare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,424 in Timisoara versus $1,967 in Baia Mare.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 27% more expensive than Baia Mare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 17% lower, Baia Mare 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 RON 40.96

$9.11 RON 41.20

-0.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 RON 265

$36.19 RON 164

61.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 RON 37.47

$7.09 RON 32.09

16.78%

Cappuccino

$3.28 RON 14.82

$2.21 RON 10.01

48.42%

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

$2.26 RON 10.21

$1.79 RON 8.09

26.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RON 9.17

$1.34 RON 6.05

51.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 RON 12.78

$1.57 RON 7.09

80.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 RON 15.39

$2.23 RON 10.07

52.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.86

$1.44 RON 6.51

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.91

$1.23 RON 5.55

6.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.70

$1.54 RON 6.99

-3.90%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.70

$3.25 RON 14.69

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 RON 43.56

$7.59 RON 34.33

26.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 RON 30.02

$6.15 RON 27.83

7.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 RON 52.3

$9.00 RON 40.73

28.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.92

$1.18 RON 5.32

-7.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.03

$1.52 RON 6.89

1.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.30

$1.74 RON 7.87

-7.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 RON 11.10

$2.21 RON 9.99

10.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 RON 3.30

$0.76 RON 3.43

-3.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.59

$0.87 RON 3.94

17.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 RON 3.30

$1.01 RON 4.57

-27.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 RON 3.30

$0.79 RON 3.56

-7.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 RON 26.06

$5.43 RON 24.55

6.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RON 35.23

$4.90 RON 22.15

58.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 RON 5.41

$1.03 RON 4.68

16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.61

$1.77 RON 8.02

-5.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 RON 4.08

$0.67 RON 3.03

34.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.98 RON 136

$16.35 RON 73.9

83.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.07

$0.76 RON 3.43

18.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$0.80 RON 3.64

6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.35 RON 33.25

$9.04 RON 40.89

-18.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.42

$1.51 RON 6.83

8.61%

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

$27.9K RON 126.3K

$28.6K RON 129.2K

-2.30%

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

$26.0K RON 117.8K

$26.0K RON 117.5K

0.22%

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

$140 RON 631

$117 RON 530

19.16%

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

$8.54 RON 38.62

$8.37 RON 37.88

2.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.01 RON 40.78

$11.17 RON 50.5

-19.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.38 RON 196

$51.3 RON 232

-15.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.02 RON 68.0

$20.91 RON 94.6

-28.17%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 RON 37.49

$6.71 RON 30.34

23.55%

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

$506 RON 2,287

$431 RON 1,952

17.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 45.8K

$6,838 RON 30.9K

48.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 RON 347

$53.0 RON 240

44.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.61 RON 193

$38.92 RON 176

9.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 RON 373

$70.4 RON 318

17.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 RON 436

$93.2 RON 422

3.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 RON 2,247

$287 RON 1,296

73.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 RON 1,629

$210 RON 951

71.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 RON 3,299

$536 RON 2,426

35.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$586 RON 2,650

$400 RON 1,809

46.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,722 RON 12.3K

$2,362 RON 10.7K

15.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,009 RON 9,086

$1,555 RON 7,033

29.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,228 RON 5,554

$871 RON 3,940

40.96%

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 Baia Mare: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $497 in Timisoara and $287 in Baia Mare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 41% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $58.0 in Timisoara vs $36.00 in Baia Mare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $195 per month, with Baia Mare cheaper across the board.

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 Baia Mare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baia Mare is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Timisoara pays 41% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $497 in Timisoara versus $287 in Baia Mare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $506 in Timisoara versus $431 in Baia Mare. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Timisoara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $887 in Baia Mare versus $1,122 in Timisoara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Baia Mare but tight or insufficient in Timisoara. The gap between the two cities makes Baia Mare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Baia Mare is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Timisoara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Timisoara and Baia Mare are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Baia Mare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.