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: $1,130 in Timisoara versus $876 in Baia Mare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,764 in Timisoara versus $1,406 in Baia Mare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,397 in Timisoara versus $1,937 in Baia Mare.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 29% more expensive than in Baia Mare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 15% lower, Baia Mare 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.26 RON 42.11

$9.38 RON 42.66

-1.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 RON 262

$37.06 RON 168

55.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 RON 36.00

$7.10 RON 32.26

11.55%

Cappuccino

$3.19 RON 14.50

$2.11 RON 9.59

51.18%

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

$2.28 RON 10.38

$1.82 RON 8.26

25.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 RON 9.04

$1.29 RON 5.85

54.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 RON 12.23

$1.60 RON 7.25

68.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 RON 15.30

$2.20 RON 10.02

53.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.96

$1.49 RON 6.79

2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.95

$1.22 RON 5.54

7.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.88

$1.52 RON 6.91

-0.66%

Eggs

$3.20 RON 14.53

$3.34 RON 15.17

-4.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 RON 43.70

$7.49 RON 34.04

28.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 RON 29.25

$5.93 RON 26.96

8.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 RON 52.3

$8.71 RON 39.61

32.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.94

$1.21 RON 5.48

-9.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.14

$1.60 RON 7.25

-1.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.29

$1.68 RON 7.63

-4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 RON 11.78

$2.12 RON 9.62

22.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.77 RON 3.49

-6.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.49

$0.94 RON 4.29

5.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.26

$1.01 RON 4.59

-28.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.60

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 RON 26.75

$5.20 RON 23.66

13.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.56 RON 34.39

$5.05 RON 22.96

49.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 RON 5.69

$1.00 RON 4.53

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 RON 7.84

$1.86 RON 8.47

-7.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 RON 4.39

$0.71 RON 3.22

36.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 RON 135

$16.15 RON 73.4

84.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.87

$0.72 RON 3.29

18.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.79

$0.87 RON 3.95

-4.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 RON 33.26

$9.37 RON 42.61

-21.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.54

$1.53 RON 6.94

8.50%

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

$28.3K RON 128.5K

$28.0K RON 127.3K

0.89%

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

$26.8K RON 121.8K

$26.2K RON 119.0K

2.35%

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

$140 RON 636

$114 RON 520

22.29%

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

$8.29 RON 37.67

$8.42 RON 38.28

-1.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.39 RON 42.71

$11.49 RON 52.2

-18.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.69 RON 194

$51.7 RON 235

-17.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.17 RON 69.0

$20.99 RON 95.4

-27.73%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 RON 35.65

$6.97 RON 31.69

12.48%

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

$496 RON 2,255

$435 RON 1,979

13.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 46.1K

$6,894 RON 31.3K

47.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 RON 357

$54.2 RON 247

44.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.72 RON 194

$38.93 RON 177

9.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 RON 375

$67.9 RON 309

21.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 RON 438

$92.3 RON 420

4.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 RON 2,223

$284 RON 1,292

71.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 RON 1,614

$207 RON 943

71.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 RON 3,261

$537 RON 2,443

33.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 RON 2,725

$401 RON 1,823

49.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,689 RON 12.2K

$2,106 RON 9,574

27.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 RON 8,862

$1,463 RON 6,651

33.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,206 RON 5,483

$898 RON 4,081

34.35%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Baia Mare: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $489 in Timisoara and $284 in Baia Mare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 34% 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 $37.00 in Baia Mare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $194 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 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 34% 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: $489 in Timisoara versus $284 in Baia Mare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $496 in Timisoara versus $435 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 $876 in Baia Mare versus $1,130 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 29% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.