Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Calafat Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Calafat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,214 per month in Timisoara vs $1,053 in Calafat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,868 per month in Timisoara vs $1,537 in Calafat, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,523 per month in Timisoara vs $2,021 in Calafat, rent included.

Timisoara costs about 15% more than Calafat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Timisoara and Calafat are more affordable than the global median – Timisoara 12% lower, Calafat 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 RON 49.23

$7.57 RON 34.16

43.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 RON 218

$37.29 RON 168

29.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 RON 39.08

$7.96 RON 35.96

8.79%

Cappuccino

$3.18 RON 14.36

$2.16 RON 9.74

47.22%

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

$2.16 RON 9.74

$1.57 RON 7.09

37.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 RON 7.64

$0.93 RON 4.18

81.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 RON 11.75

$1.08 RON 4.87

140.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 RON 19.55

$2.04 RON 9.22

112.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 RON 6.75

$1.20 RON 5.42

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 RON 5.98

$0.81 RON 3.65

62.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.28

$1.43 RON 6.44

-2.80%

Eggs

$3.01 RON 13.57

$2.42 RON 10.90

24.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 RON 40.90

$7.39 RON 33.35

22.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 RON 29.10

$6.55 RON 29.58

-1.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.54 RON 52.1

$6.85 RON 30.94

68.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 RON 5.42

$1.02 RON 4.61

17.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.18

$1.50 RON 6.79

6.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.02

$1.36 RON 6.12

14.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 RON 11.38

$1.53 RON 6.90

64.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.53

$0.64 RON 2.89

21.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.67

$0.76 RON 3.45

35.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.73 RON 3.28

-1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 RON 3.73

$0.77 RON 3.46

7.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.71 RON 30.31

$5.47 RON 24.70

22.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 RON 34.70

$6.80 RON 30.70

13.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 RON 5.46

$0.92 RON 4.14

31.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.03

$1.60 RON 7.22

11.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 RON 5.05

$0.82 RON 3.69

36.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.80 RON 162

$22.74 RON 103

57.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 RON 3.81

$0.55 RON 2.47

52.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.57 RON 2.57

50.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 RON 40.53

$6.46 RON 29.18

39.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 RON 8.38

$1.58 RON 7.15

17.72%

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

$29.3K RON 132.4K

$27.7K RON 125.0K

5.90%

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

$25.4K RON 114.6K

$27.5K RON 124.2K

-7.75%

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

$176 RON 793

$220 RON 995

-20.32%

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

$6.89 RON 31.10

$7.87 RON 35.53

-12.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.25 RON 41.75

$6.69 RON 30.19

38.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.89 RON 185

$40.93 RON 185

-0.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.41 RON 74.1

$21.32 RON 96.2

-23.03%

Cinema Ticket

$8.83 RON 39.85

$8.41 RON 37.97

4.99%

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

$625 RON 2,823

$444 RON 2,003

40.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,074 RON 41.0K

$8,681 RON 39.2K

4.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.6 RON 360

$68.5 RON 309

16.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.93 RON 189

$44.35 RON 200

-5.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 RON 364

$79.6 RON 359

1.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 RON 418

$88.0 RON 397

5.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 RON 2,550

$409 RON 1,848

37.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 RON 1,698

$299 RON 1,350

25.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 RON 3,930

$645 RON 2,910

35.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 RON 2,915

$473 RON 2,137

36.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,637 RON 11.9K

$1,965 RON 8,871

34.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,947 RON 8,792

$1,393 RON 6,290

39.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,222 RON 5,517

$845 RON 3,813

44.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.88

14.67%

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

Last update for Timisoara: August 31, 2026

Last update for Calafat: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $565 in Timisoara versus $409 in Calafat. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 45% higher in Timisoara, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Timisoara versus $37.00 in Calafat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $175 – making Calafat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Calafat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,214 in Timisoara, $1,053 in Calafat – roughly 15% apart. Timisoara costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,821 per month in Timisoara and $1,580 in Calafat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Calafat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,214 in Timisoara and $1,053 in Calafat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Calafat. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Calafat, where all-in costs run around $1,053, than in Timisoara at $1,214. In Calafat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Timisoara it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Timisoara has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,053 in Calafat to $1,214 in Timisoara. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Calafat. 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.