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: $1,122 in Timisoara versus $1,115 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,773 in Timisoara versus $1,639 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,424 in Timisoara versus $2,163 in Craiova.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 1% more expensive than Craiova, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 RON 40.96

$8.96 RON 40.53

1.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 RON 265

$46.48 RON 210

25.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 RON 37.47

$7.99 RON 36.16

3.63%

Cappuccino

$3.28 RON 14.82

$2.59 RON 11.73

26.64%

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

$2.26 RON 10.21

$2.09 RON 9.44

8.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RON 9.17

$1.87 RON 8.44

8.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 RON 12.78

$2.35 RON 10.61

20.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 RON 15.39

$3.52 RON 15.94

-3.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.86

$1.51 RON 6.84

0.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.91

$1.00 RON 4.51

31.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.70

$1.71 RON 7.72

-13.45%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.70

$3.27 RON 14.78

-0.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 RON 43.56

$7.76 RON 35.10

24.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 RON 30.02

$6.54 RON 29.60

1.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 RON 52.3

$9.45 RON 42.75

22.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.92

$1.28 RON 5.80

-14.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.03

$1.69 RON 7.64

-8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.30

$1.57 RON 7.11

2.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 RON 11.10

$1.87 RON 8.47

31.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 RON 3.30

$1.03 RON 4.68

-29.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.59

$1.12 RON 5.07

-8.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 RON 3.30

$0.80 RON 3.61

-8.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 RON 3.30

$0.80 RON 3.64

-8.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 RON 26.06

$6.03 RON 27.26

-4.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RON 35.23

$6.00 RON 27.16

29.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 RON 5.41

$1.31 RON 5.95

-8.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.61

$2.26 RON 10.24

-25.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 RON 4.08

$0.67 RON 3.02

34.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.98 RON 136

$23.28 RON 105

28.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.07

$0.57 RON 2.58

57.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$0.83 RON 3.77

2.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.35 RON 33.25

$7.10 RON 32.12

3.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.42

$1.61 RON 7.27

1.86%

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

$27.9K RON 126.3K

$27.5K RON 124.6K

1.33%

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

$26.0K RON 117.8K

$27.8K RON 125.9K

-6.47%

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

$140 RON 631

$212 RON 957

-34.06%

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

$8.54 RON 38.62

$8.06 RON 36.48

5.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.01 RON 40.78

$11.54 RON 52.2

-21.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.38 RON 196

$36.06 RON 163

20.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.02 RON 68.0

$18.75 RON 84.8

-19.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 RON 37.49

$6.69 RON 30.28

23.92%

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

$506 RON 2,287

$436 RON 1,971

16.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 45.8K

$8,920 RON 40.4K

13.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 RON 347

$80.5 RON 364

-4.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.61 RON 193

$36.68 RON 166

16.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 RON 373

$78.5 RON 355

5.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 RON 436

$87.8 RON 397

9.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 RON 2,247

$387 RON 1,751

28.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 RON 1,629

$307 RON 1,389

17.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 RON 3,299

$727 RON 3,287

0.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$586 RON 2,650

$448 RON 2,028

30.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,722 RON 12.3K

$2,639 RON 11.9K

3.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,009 RON 9,086

$2,047 RON 9,260

-1.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,228 RON 5,554

$998 RON 4,516

22.98%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Craiova: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $497 in Timisoara and $387 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 23% 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 $203 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 1% 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.

Timisoara pays 23% 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: $497 in Timisoara versus $387 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,122 per month in Timisoara versus $1,115 in Craiova – a 1% 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 $1,115 in Craiova versus $1,122 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 $1,115 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 1% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.