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: $1,139 in Timisoara versus $1,106 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Timisoara versus $1,643 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,429 in Timisoara versus $2,180 in Craiova.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 3% more expensive than Craiova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.41 RON 41.02

$9.06 RON 39.52

3.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 252

$45.77 RON 200

26.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 RON 34.64

$8.27 RON 36.06

-3.87%

Cappuccino

$3.29 RON 14.33

$2.49 RON 10.84

32.13%

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

$2.28 RON 9.94

$2.19 RON 9.53

4.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.35

$1.96 RON 8.56

-2.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 RON 12.31

$2.37 RON 10.32

18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 14.92

$3.44 RON 14.98

-0.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.67

$1.57 RON 6.83

-2.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 RON 5.54

$0.99 RON 4.31

28.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.47

$1.69 RON 7.38

-12.43%

Eggs

$3.24 RON 14.13

$3.35 RON 14.60

-3.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 RON 40.83

$7.70 RON 33.59

21.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 RON 28.72

$6.71 RON 29.25

-1.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 RON 49.57

$9.78 RON 42.65

16.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.77

$1.27 RON 5.53

-14.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 6.87

$1.66 RON 7.25

-4.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 RON 6.68

$1.57 RON 6.85

-2.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 RON 11.22

$1.82 RON 7.94

41.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 RON 3.14

$1.03 RON 4.50

-30.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.30

$1.10 RON 4.78

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 RON 2.95

$0.85 RON 3.70

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.22

$0.76 RON 3.31

-2.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 RON 26.43

$5.95 RON 25.95

1.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.24 RON 35.94

$6.35 RON 27.67

29.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 RON 5.45

$1.25 RON 5.47

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 RON 7.61

$2.19 RON 9.55

-20.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 RON 4.07

$0.71 RON 3.09

30.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.19 RON 132

$23.01 RON 100

31.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 RON 3.85

$0.61 RON 2.65

44.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 RON 3.46

$0.81 RON 3.54

-2.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.43 RON 32.39

$6.87 RON 29.96

8.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 6.93

$1.57 RON 6.83

1.27%

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

$27.8K RON 121.1K

$27.9K RON 121.4K

-0.29%

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

$25.9K RON 112.9K

$27.4K RON 119.4K

-5.41%

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

$140 RON 611

$207 RON 902

-32.32%

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

$8.68 RON 37.84

$7.90 RON 34.45

9.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.22 RON 40.19

$11.74 RON 51.2

-21.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.11 RON 188

$36.46 RON 159

18.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.17 RON 66.2

$18.49 RON 80.6

-17.96%

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 RON 35.02

$6.75 RON 29.43

18.96%

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

$502 RON 2,188

$445 RON 1,941

12.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 43.9K

$8,844 RON 38.6K

13.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.6 RON 342

$78.9 RON 344

-0.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.54 RON 185

$37.74 RON 165

12.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 RON 362

$78.6 RON 343

5.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.9 RON 422

$85.5 RON 373

13.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 RON 2,131

$382 RON 1,668

27.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 RON 1,560

$315 RON 1,374

13.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 RON 3,226

$720 RON 3,141

2.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 RON 2,591

$444 RON 1,935

33.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,664 RON 11.6K

$2,730 RON 11.9K

-2.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,982 RON 8,641

$2,095 RON 9,133

-5.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,276 RON 5,562

$1,077 RON 4,697

18.43%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Craiova: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $489 in Timisoara and $382 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 18% 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 $205 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 3% 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 18% 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: $489 in Timisoara versus $382 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,139 per month in Timisoara versus $1,106 in Craiova – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 31% less than in Timisoara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,106 in Craiova versus $1,139 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 $1,106 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 3% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.