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: $1,184 in Timisoara versus $924 in Baia Mare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,820 in Timisoara versus $1,448 in Baia Mare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,455 in Timisoara versus $1,972 in Baia Mare.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 28% more expensive than in Baia Mare, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 13% lower, Baia Mare 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.78 RON 49.40

$13.10 RON 60.0

-17.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.57 RON 222

$34.03 RON 156

42.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 RON 39.27

$8.91 RON 40.83

-3.82%

Cappuccino

$3.05 RON 13.96

$2.19 RON 10.03

39.27%

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

$2.29 RON 10.47

$1.90 RON 8.69

20.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.15

$1.44 RON 6.61

23.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 RON 12.01

$1.62 RON 7.44

61.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 RON 20.72

$2.23 RON 10.24

102.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 RON 6.74

$1.59 RON 7.28

-7.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.78

$1.46 RON 6.70

-13.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.63

$1.57 RON 7.20

-7.64%

Eggs

$3.08 RON 14.09

$2.90 RON 13.29

6.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 RON 40.13

$6.52 RON 29.87

34.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 RON 29.32

$7.17 RON 32.87

-10.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 RON 53.5

$11.17 RON 51.2

4.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.65

$1.19 RON 5.44

3.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.25

$1.62 RON 7.41

-2.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 RON 7.01

$1.44 RON 6.59

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 RON 11.17

$2.80 RON 12.84

-12.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.50

$1.04 RON 4.76

-26.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.68

$1.16 RON 5.33

-12.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 RON 3.37

$1.12 RON 5.14

-34.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.56

$0.81 RON 3.70

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.69 RON 30.66

$6.74 RON 30.90

-0.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 RON 34.80

$4.89 RON 22.41

55.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.69

$1.09 RON 4.98

13.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 RON 8.23

$1.66 RON 7.62

8.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RON 4.94

$0.68 RON 3.10

58.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.39 RON 162

$15.55 RON 71.3

127.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.91

$0.79 RON 3.60

7.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.09

$0.86 RON 3.93

3.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.82 RON 40.42

$6.12 RON 28.02

44.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 RON 8.78

$1.73 RON 7.91

10.98%

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

$29.3K RON 134.3K

$29.8K RON 136.6K

-1.68%

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

$25.6K RON 117.3K

$25.5K RON 117.0K

0.23%

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

$176 RON 808

$111 RON 509

58.57%

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

$6.85 RON 31.38

$16.04 RON 73.5

-57.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.14 RON 41.85

$12.25 RON 56.1

-25.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.11 RON 188

$40.14 RON 184

2.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 RON 75.7

$17.00 RON 77.9

-2.76%

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 RON 38.48

$10.26 RON 47.02

-18.13%

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

$613 RON 2,807

$557 RON 2,553

9.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,005 RON 41.3K

$5,636 RON 25.8K

59.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 RON 352

$38.53 RON 177

99.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.26 RON 194

$43.63 RON 200

-3.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 RON 366

$64.7 RON 296

23.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 RON 436

$77.7 RON 356

22.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,583

$283 RON 1,298

99.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 RON 1,733

$216 RON 990

75.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 RON 3,989

$508 RON 2,325

71.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 RON 2,909

$386 RON 1,766

64.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,565 RON 11.8K

$2,083 RON 9,540

23.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,911 RON 8,755

$1,494 RON 6,842

27.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,192 RON 5,462

$909 RON 4,162

31.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.88

7.48

-8.02%

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

Last update for Timisoara: September 14, 2026

Last update for Baia Mare: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $564 in Timisoara and $283 in Baia Mare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 31% 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: $49.00 in Timisoara vs $34.00 in Baia Mare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $211 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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 31% higher in Timisoara, 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: $564 in Timisoara versus $283 in Baia Mare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $613 in Timisoara versus $557 in Baia Mare. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Timisoara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $924 in Baia Mare versus $1,184 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 28% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.