Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Barlad

For one person, living is cheaper in Barlad: $975 a month against $1,158 in Timisoara, rent and utilities included – about $2,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Timisoara
🇷🇴 Romania
$1,158
/mo nomad
Barlad
🇷🇴 Romania
$975
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Timisoara and in Barlad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Timisoara and in Barlad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,158 per month in Timisoara vs $975 in Barlad, rent included.

  • Timisoara $1,158
  • Barlad $975

A couple spends around $1,757 per month in Timisoara vs $1,521 in Barlad, rent included.

  • Timisoara $1,757
  • Barlad $1,521

A family of three spends $2,355 per month in Timisoara vs $2,066 in Barlad, rent included.

  • Timisoara $2,355
  • Barlad $2,066

Timisoara costs about 19% more than Barlad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Timisoara and Barlad are more affordable than the global median – Timisoara 15% lower, Barlad 28% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Timisoara
Barlad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.56 RON 49.97
$8.96 RON 42.41
17.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.44 RON 215
$41.38 RON 196
9.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.35 RON 39.51
$7.20 RON 34.06
15.97%
Cappuccino
$2.93 RON 13.87
$2.41 RON 11.40
21.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 RON 10.11
$1.85 RON 8.75
15.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 RON 7.85
$1.54 RON 7.27
7.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.70 RON 12.77
$2.17 RON 10.25
24.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.27 RON 20.22
$2.69 RON 12.72
58.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Timisoara
Barlad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 RON 6.58
$1.34 RON 6.34
3.73%
White Bread (500g)
$1.21 RON 5.71
$1.12 RON 5.31
8.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.33 RON 6.31
$1.40 RON 6.63
-5.00%
Eggs
$2.81 RON 13.32
$3.39 RON 16.02
-17.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.37 RON 39.61
$7.51 RON 35.53
11.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.09 RON 28.81
$5.22 RON 24.69
16.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.02 RON 52.2
$10.04 RON 47.49
9.76%
Apples (1kg)
$1.15 RON 5.42
$1.04 RON 4.92
10.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 RON 6.86
$1.63 RON 7.73
-11.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.47 RON 6.94
$1.38 RON 6.54
6.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.34 RON 11.07
$1.76 RON 8.31
32.95%
Potato (1kg)
$0.74 RON 3.50
$0.79 RON 3.75
-6.33%
Onion (1kg)
$0.94 RON 4.44
$0.77 RON 3.65
22.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.67 RON 3.17
$0.84 RON 3.99
-20.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 RON 3.66
$0.89 RON 4.20
-13.48%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.17 RON 29.17
$6.64 RON 31.41
-7.08%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.52 RON 35.58
$5.58 RON 26.38
34.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.15 RON 5.44
$1.20 RON 5.68
-4.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76 RON 8.31
$1.62 RON 7.67
8.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Timisoara
Barlad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.02 RON 4.85
$0.51 RON 2.40
100.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$34.21 RON 162
$19.88 RON 94.0
72.08%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.87 RON 4.10
$0.72 RON 3.42
20.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.82 RON 3.87
$0.73 RON 3.46
12.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.54 RON 40.39
$6.99 RON 33.08
22.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.88 RON 8.90
$1.75 RON 8.30
7.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.8K RON 136.3K
$26.5K RON 125.3K
8.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K RON 116.8K
$25.1K RON 118.7K
-1.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Timisoara
Barlad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$168 RON 793
$158 RON 748
6.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.42 RON 30.37
$8.87 RON 41.95
-27.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.59 RON 40.62
$8.36 RON 39.58
2.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Timisoara
Barlad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.76 RON 183
$34.02 RON 161
13.93%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.71 RON 74.3
$18.05 RON 85.4
-12.96%
Cinema Ticket
$8.26 RON 39.10
$6.61 RON 31.28
24.96%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Timisoara
Barlad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$583 RON 2,757
$465 RON 2,202
25.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,838 RON 41.8K
$7,715 RON 36.5K
14.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Timisoara
Barlad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$73.7 RON 349
$62.0 RON 293
18.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.19 RON 190
$34.81 RON 165
15.46%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.1 RON 360
$72.7 RON 344
4.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5 RON 419
$86.2 RON 408
2.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Timisoara
Barlad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$534 RON 2,528
$407 RON 1,927
31.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$366 RON 1,731
$269 RON 1,271
36.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$843 RON 3,987
$651 RON 3,081
29.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$607 RON 2,872
$505 RON 2,387
20.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,572 RON 12.2K
$1,755 RON 8,305
46.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,886 RON 8,924
$1,263 RON 5,976
49.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Timisoara
Barlad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,147 RON 5,427
-
-
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: October 17, 2026

Last update for Barlad: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Timisoara
$366
Barlad
$269 26.6% $97
Groceries & Markets
Timisoara
$204
Barlad
$190 6.6% $13
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Timisoara
$183
Barlad
$175 4% $7.3
Eating Out
Timisoara
$182
Barlad
$152 16.5% $30
Clothing & Footwear
Timisoara
$125
Barlad
$115 8.2% $10
Sport & Entertainment
Timisoara
$55
Barlad
$47 14.5% $8
Getting Around
Timisoara
$43
Barlad
$26 39.3% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $534 in Timisoara versus $407 in Barlad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Timisoara versus $41.00 in Barlad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $190 – making Barlad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇷🇴 Timisoara
🇷🇴 Barlad
🕒 Local time
13:16 1:16 PM
13:16 1:16 PM
Same time as Timisoara
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
319,279
77,518
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to RON – Romanian Leu Converter

Romanian Leu exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 4.73 RON (1 RON = 0.211 USD). 1 EUR = 5.32 RON (1 RON = 0.188 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Timisoara Barlad 500 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Timisoara
  • Barlad

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Barlad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Timisoara and in Barlad compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,158 in Timisoara, $975 in Barlad – roughly 19% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Timisoara compared to Barlad?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,737 per month in Timisoara and $1,462 in Barlad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Timisoara and Barlad?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Barlad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Timisoara and in Barlad?
Public transport costs about 72% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Timisoara and Barlad?
Kindergarten costs $583 per month in Timisoara and $465 in Barlad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barlad, where all-in costs run around $975, than in Timisoara at $1,158. In Barlad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Timisoara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Timisoara and Barlad?
It depends on your priorities. Timisoara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $975 in Barlad to $1,158 in Timisoara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Timisoara or Barlad safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Timisoara and Barlad?
If budget matters most, go with Barlad. 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.

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