Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Craiova Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Craiova

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,130 in Timisoara versus $1,109 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,764 in Timisoara versus $1,650 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,397 in Timisoara versus $2,191 in Craiova.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 2% more expensive than in Craiova, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 15% lower, Craiova 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.26 RON 42.11

$9.38 RON 42.65

-1.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.5 RON 262

$45.95 RON 209

25.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.92 RON 36.00

$7.96 RON 36.18

-0.50%

Cappuccino

$3.19 RON 14.50

$2.49 RON 11.31

28.11%

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

$2.28 RON 10.38

$2.10 RON 9.54

8.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 RON 9.04

$1.92 RON 8.75

3.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 RON 12.23

$2.25 RON 10.21

19.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 RON 15.30

$3.35 RON 15.23

0.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.96

$1.56 RON 7.09

-1.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.95

$1.00 RON 4.54

31.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.88

$1.71 RON 7.77

-11.70%

Eggs

$3.20 RON 14.53

$3.23 RON 14.66

-0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.61 RON 43.70

$7.72 RON 35.11

24.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.43 RON 29.25

$6.48 RON 29.47

-0.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 RON 52.3

$9.81 RON 44.59

17.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.94

$1.23 RON 5.61

-11.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.14

$1.70 RON 7.73

-7.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.29

$1.60 RON 7.27

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 RON 11.78

$1.84 RON 8.36

40.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$1.07 RON 4.88

-32.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.49

$1.14 RON 5.17

-13.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.26

$0.80 RON 3.64

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.60

$0.80 RON 3.65

-1.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 RON 26.75

$5.88 RON 26.74

Wine (Bottle)

$7.56 RON 34.39

$6.34 RON 28.81

19.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 RON 5.69

$1.30 RON 5.91

-3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 RON 7.84

$2.25 RON 10.24

-23.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 RON 4.39

$0.72 RON 3.28

34.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 RON 135

$23.02 RON 105

29.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.87

$0.56 RON 2.54

51.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.79

$0.89 RON 4.04

-6.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.32 RON 33.26

$6.75 RON 30.69

8.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.54

$1.60 RON 7.29

3.75%

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

$28.3K RON 128.5K

$27.5K RON 124.9K

2.84%

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

$26.8K RON 121.8K

$27.6K RON 125.6K

-2.97%

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

$140 RON 636

$212 RON 964

-34.02%

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

$8.29 RON 37.67

$8.08 RON 36.73

2.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.39 RON 42.71

$11.58 RON 52.6

-18.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.69 RON 194

$37.03 RON 168

15.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.17 RON 69.0

$18.97 RON 86.2

-20.03%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 RON 35.65

$6.54 RON 29.76

19.88%

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

$496 RON 2,255

$434 RON 1,971

14.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 46.1K

$8,856 RON 40.3K

14.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.5 RON 357

0.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.72 RON 194

$37.91 RON 172

12.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 RON 375

$77.6 RON 353

6.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 RON 438

$86.8 RON 394

10.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 RON 2,223

$386 RON 1,756

26.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$355 RON 1,614

$317 RON 1,439

12.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$717 RON 3,261

$706 RON 3,209

1.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$599 RON 2,725

$436 RON 1,980

37.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,689 RON 12.2K

$2,735 RON 12.4K

-1.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,949 RON 8,862

$1,998 RON 9,082

-2.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,206 RON 5,483

$945 RON 4,297

27.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

6.28

6.05%

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

Last update for Timisoara: July 28, 2026

Last update for Craiova: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $489 in Timisoara and $386 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 28% 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 $46.00 in Craiova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $204 per month, with Craiova 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 Craiova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Craiova wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Timisoara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Craiova the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 28% 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 $386 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,130 per month in Timisoara versus $1,109 in Craiova – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 29% less than in Timisoara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,109 in Craiova versus $1,130 in Timisoara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Craiova but tight or insufficient in Timisoara. The gap between the two cities makes Craiova the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Craiova delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,109 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Craiova hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Timisoara and Craiova 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 Craiova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.