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: $1,184 in Timisoara versus $1,219 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,820 in Timisoara versus $1,775 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,455 in Timisoara versus $2,331 in Craiova.

Living in Timisoara costs roughly 3% less than in Craiova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 13% lower, Craiova 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.78 RON 49.48

$7.47 RON 34.28

44.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.57 RON 223

$37.52 RON 172

29.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 RON 39.33

$7.73 RON 35.45

10.87%

Cappuccino

$3.05 RON 13.98

$2.87 RON 13.18

6.27%

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

$2.29 RON 10.49

$2.31 RON 10.59

-0.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.17

$1.90 RON 8.73

-6.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 RON 12.03

$2.45 RON 11.26

6.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 RON 20.76

$3.61 RON 16.58

25.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 RON 6.75

$1.32 RON 6.06

11.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.79

$0.92 RON 4.22

36.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.64

$1.50 RON 6.86

-3.33%

Eggs

$3.08 RON 14.11

$3.44 RON 15.77

-10.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 RON 40.19

$7.54 RON 34.60

16.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 RON 29.37

$6.70 RON 30.73

-4.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 RON 53.5

$11.65 RON 53.5

0.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.66

$1.04 RON 4.79

18.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.26

$1.52 RON 6.99

3.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 RON 7.02

$1.52 RON 6.99

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 RON 11.19

$1.90 RON 8.71

28.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.50

$0.86 RON 3.92

-11.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.69

$0.94 RON 4.32

8.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 RON 3.37

$0.77 RON 3.51

-5.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.57

$0.74 RON 3.38

5.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.69 RON 30.71

$6.70 RON 30.75

-0.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 RON 34.85

$6.74 RON 30.90

12.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.70

$1.18 RON 5.44

5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 RON 8.24

$1.60 RON 7.36

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RON 4.95

$0.89 RON 4.08

21.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.39 RON 162

$26.08 RON 120

35.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.91

$0.63 RON 2.88

34.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.10

$0.64 RON 2.91

39.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.82 RON 40.48

$6.62 RON 30.37

33.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 RON 8.80

$1.88 RON 8.61

2.13%

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

$29.3K RON 134.5K

$29.6K RON 136.0K

-1.09%

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

$25.6K RON 117.5K

$27.3K RON 125.1K

-6.11%

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

$176 RON 809

$206 RON 947

-14.56%

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

$6.85 RON 31.43

$10.52 RON 48.28

-34.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.14 RON 41.92

$11.68 RON 53.6

-21.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.11 RON 189

$41.43 RON 190

-0.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 RON 75.8

$22.75 RON 104

-27.34%

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 RON 38.55

$7.91 RON 36.28

6.19%

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

$613 RON 2,812

$441 RON 2,025

38.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,005 RON 41.3K

$8,696 RON 39.9K

3.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 RON 353

$58.8 RON 270

30.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.26 RON 194

$49.69 RON 228

-14.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 RON 366

$82.6 RON 379

-3.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 RON 437

$108 RON 497

-12.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,588

$536 RON 2,460

5.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 RON 1,736

$401 RON 1,840

-5.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 RON 3,995

$921 RON 4,225

-5.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 RON 2,914

$618 RON 2,836

2.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,565 RON 11.8K

$2,767 RON 12.7K

-7.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,911 RON 8,769

$2,050 RON 9,407

-6.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,192 RON 5,471

$981 RON 4,500

21.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.88

6.84

0.58%

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

Last update for Timisoara: September 14, 2026

Last update for Craiova: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $564 in Timisoara and $536 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $49.00 in Timisoara vs $38.00 in Craiova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $202 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

Timisoara wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Craiova. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Timisoara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 22% 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 $536 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,184 per month in Timisoara versus $1,219 in Craiova – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Timisoara runs roughly 36% less than in Craiova. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,184 in Timisoara versus $1,219 in Craiova, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Timisoara but tight or insufficient in Craiova. The gap between the two cities makes Timisoara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Timisoara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,184 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Timisoara 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 Timisoara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Craiova. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.