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: $1,184 in Timisoara versus $1,018 in Buzau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,820 in Timisoara versus $1,497 in Buzau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,455 in Timisoara versus $1,976 in Buzau.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 16% more expensive than in Buzau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 13% lower, Buzau 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.78 RON 49.43

$11.04 RON 50.6

-2.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.57 RON 223

$26.55 RON 122

82.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 RON 39.30

$6.66 RON 30.52

28.68%

Cappuccino

$3.05 RON 13.97

$2.04 RON 9.36

49.51%

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

$2.29 RON 10.48

$2.06 RON 9.43

11.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.16

$1.56 RON 7.16

14.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 RON 12.02

$1.78 RON 8.17

47.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 RON 20.74

$1.74 RON 7.96

159.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 RON 6.75

$1.77 RON 8.10

-16.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.79

$1.33 RON 6.11

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.63

$1.51 RON 6.92

-3.97%

Eggs

$3.08 RON 14.10

$3.12 RON 14.31

-1.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 RON 40.16

$7.60 RON 34.86

15.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 RON 29.35

$7.06 RON 32.38

-9.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 RON 53.5

$11.45 RON 52.5

1.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.65

$1.06 RON 4.85

16.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.25

$1.76 RON 8.09

-10.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 RON 7.02

$1.11 RON 5.07

37.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 RON 11.18

$1.24 RON 5.70

96.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.50

$0.68 RON 3.13

11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.68

$0.85 RON 3.90

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 RON 3.37

$0.51 RON 2.32

43.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.56

$0.73 RON 3.37

6.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.69 RON 30.68

$6.64 RON 30.46

0.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 RON 34.82

$6.67 RON 30.59

13.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.69

$0.80 RON 3.67

55.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 RON 8.24

$1.45 RON 6.67

24.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RON 4.94

$0.65 RON 2.98

66.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.39 RON 162

$22.25 RON 102

59.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.91

$0.52 RON 2.38

63.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.10

$0.55 RON 2.53

61.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.82 RON 40.45

$6.78 RON 31.10

30.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 RON 8.79

$1.62 RON 7.43

18.52%

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

$29.3K RON 134.4K

$19.9K RON 91.1K

47.50%

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

$25.6K RON 117.4K

$21.7K RON 99.4K

18.06%

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

$176 RON 808

$126 RON 578

39.90%

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

$6.85 RON 31.40

$8.07 RON 37.00

-15.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.14 RON 41.89

$8.17 RON 37.46

11.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.11 RON 188

$34.18 RON 157

20.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 RON 75.8

$18.63 RON 85.4

-11.27%

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 RON 38.51

$7.29 RON 33.43

15.23%

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

$613 RON 2,809

$301 RON 1,380

103.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,005 RON 41.3K

$6,929 RON 31.8K

29.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 RON 353

$57.5 RON 264

33.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.26 RON 194

$61.7 RON 283

-31.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 RON 366

$103 RON 470

-22.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 RON 437

$87.9 RON 403

8.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,585

$373 RON 1,710

51.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 RON 1,735

$305 RON 1,396

24.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 RON 3,992

$635 RON 2,909

37.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 RON 2,911

$431 RON 1,976

47.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,565 RON 11.8K

$1,551 RON 7,111

65.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,911 RON 8,762

$1,237 RON 5,672

54.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,192 RON 5,466

$896 RON 4,107

33.08%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Buzau: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $564 in Timisoara and $373 in Buzau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 33% 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 $27.00 in Buzau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $203 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 16% in total monthly costs ($1,184 vs $1,018 including rent). Buzau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 33% 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 $373 in Buzau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% 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 $27.00 versus $49.00 in Timisoara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,018 in Buzau versus $1,184 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 16% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.