Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Buzau Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Buzau

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,150 in Timisoara versus $1,096 in Buzau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,792 in Timisoara versus $1,581 in Buzau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,435 in Timisoara versus $2,066 in Buzau.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 5% more expensive than Buzau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 14% lower, Buzau 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.04 RON 40.86

$12.14 RON 54.9

-25.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 RON 264

$24.99 RON 113

134.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 RON 36.09

$5.89 RON 26.62

35.48%

Cappuccino

$3.13 RON 14.16

$2.70 RON 12.20

15.93%

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

$2.18 RON 9.84

$1.98 RON 8.97

10.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.97

$1.57 RON 7.11

26.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 RON 12.31

$3.28 RON 14.83

-17.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 RON 15.83

$3.47 RON 15.69

0.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.93

$1.47 RON 6.66

4.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 RON 5.78

$1.35 RON 6.12

-5.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.75

$1.78 RON 8.04

-16.29%

Eggs

$3.24 RON 14.63

$3.35 RON 15.14

-3.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.76 RON 44.13

$8.74 RON 39.51

11.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 RON 28.99

$6.94 RON 31.35

-7.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 RON 51.4

$10.24 RON 46.27

11.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.92

$0.89 RON 4.04

22.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.87

$1.54 RON 6.97

-1.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.03

$1.18 RON 5.34

31.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 RON 11.68

$1.75 RON 7.91

47.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$0.87 RON 3.95

-10.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.41

$1.07 RON 4.82

-8.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 RON 3.01

$0.60 RON 2.73

11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.33

$0.61 RON 2.74

21.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 RON 26.46

$5.60 RON 25.33

4.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 RON 35.92

$6.60 RON 29.85

20.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 RON 5.44

$1.06 RON 4.80

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 RON 7.75

$1.71 RON 7.75

0.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 RON 4.29

$0.67 RON 3.05

41.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.04 RON 136

$19.34 RON 87.4

55.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.06

$0.65 RON 2.93

38.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.75

$0.75 RON 3.40

10.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.18 RON 32.48

$6.95 RON 31.41

3.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.11

$1.64 RON 7.40

-4.27%

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

$27.5K RON 124.2K

$21.1K RON 95.2K

30.53%

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

$26.7K RON 120.5K

$23.4K RON 105.6K

14.12%

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

$139 RON 627

$125 RON 566

10.84%

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

$8.33 RON 37.67

$6.43 RON 29.08

29.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.19 RON 41.53

$9.05 RON 40.93

1.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.01 RON 194

$37.13 RON 168

15.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.00 RON 67.8

$20.02 RON 90.5

-25.07%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 RON 36.13

$5.93 RON 26.79

34.74%

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

$491 RON 2,218

$334 RON 1,512

46.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K RON 46.5K

$6,544 RON 29.6K

57.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 RON 356

$60.8 RON 275

29.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.23 RON 195

$43.04 RON 195

0.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 RON 374

$94.9 RON 429

-12.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.9 RON 429

$98.9 RON 447

-4.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 RON 2,238

$445 RON 2,010

11.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 RON 1,620

$364 RON 1,643

-1.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 RON 3,345

$622 RON 2,813

18.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 RON 2,742

$470 RON 2,123

29.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,652 RON 12.0K

$1,555 RON 7,029

70.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,964 RON 8,880

$1,217 RON 5,501

61.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,217 RON 5,502

$902 RON 4,076

34.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

7.7

-13.51%

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

Last update for Timisoara: May 31, 2026

Last update for Buzau: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $495 in Timisoara and $445 in Buzau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 35% 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 $25.00 in Buzau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $204 per month, with Buzau 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 Buzau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Timisoara and Buzau differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,150 vs $1,096 including rent). Buzau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Timisoara pays 35% 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: $495 in Timisoara versus $445 in Buzau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Timisoara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Buzau – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $58.0 in Timisoara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,096 in Buzau versus $1,150 in Timisoara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Buzau but tight or insufficient in Timisoara. The gap between the two cities makes Buzau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Timisoara and Buzau 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 Buzau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.