Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Lugoj Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Lugoj

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,218 in Timisoara versus $917 in Lugoj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,839 in Timisoara versus $1,416 in Lugoj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,461 in Timisoara versus $1,916 in Lugoj.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 33% more expensive than in Lugoj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 10% lower, Lugoj 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 RON 49.62

$9.64 RON 43.89

13.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.57 RON 221

$35.47 RON 161

36.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.48 RON 38.62

$5.53 RON 25.16

53.35%

Cappuccino

$3.03 RON 13.78

$1.82 RON 8.27

66.48%

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

$2.25 RON 10.24

$1.61 RON 7.33

39.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 RON 7.39

$1.53 RON 6.96

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 RON 11.79

$2.13 RON 9.72

21.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 RON 18.52

$2.04 RON 9.30

99.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 RON 6.41

$1.72 RON 7.83

-18.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 RON 5.80

$1.00 RON 4.57

27.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.06

$0.68 RON 3.10

95.59%

Eggs

$2.97 RON 13.51

$1.36 RON 6.19

118.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 RON 40.04

$3.48 RON 15.86

152.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 RON 28.91

$4.28 RON 19.47

48.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.60 RON 52.8

$4.41 RON 20.07

163.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 RON 5.57

$1.12 RON 5.09

8.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.17

$1.35 RON 6.16

17.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.37

$1.77 RON 8.08

-20.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.62 RON 11.93

$0.69 RON 3.14

279.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 RON 3.77

$0.69 RON 3.15

20.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.60

$0.68 RON 3.11

48.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.28

$1.02 RON 4.64

-29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.65

$0.69 RON 3.13

15.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.72 RON 30.59

$5.00 RON 22.77

34.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.71 RON 35.12

$4.48 RON 20.38

72.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 RON 5.50

$1.34 RON 6.08

-9.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.31

$1.80 RON 8.18

1.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.13 RON 5.15

$0.74 RON 3.37

52.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.79 RON 163

$21.16 RON 96.3

69.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.88

$0.95 RON 4.33

-10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.90 RON 4.10

$0.95 RON 4.32

-5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.94 RON 40.68

$8.69 RON 39.58

2.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 RON 8.72

$1.90 RON 8.66

1.05%

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

$29.2K RON 132.7K

$29.4K RON 133.9K

-0.89%

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

$25.4K RON 115.5K

$25.7K RON 117.0K

-1.26%

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

$175 RON 797

$55.0 RON 250

218.33%

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

$7.04 RON 32.06

$8.69 RON 39.58

-18.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.88 RON 40.43

$9.53 RON 43.37

-6.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.43 RON 184

$40.63 RON 185

-0.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.35 RON 74.5

$22.27 RON 101

-26.58%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 RON 37.76

$9.85 RON 44.83

-15.84%

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

$625 RON 2,847

$611 RON 2,780

2.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,219 RON 42.0K

$9,972 RON 45.4K

-7.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.8 RON 350

$94.2 RON 429

-18.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.30 RON 188

$48.73 RON 222

-15.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 RON 367

$103 RON 469

-21.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.9 RON 432

$112 RON 509

-15.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 RON 2,594

$191 RON 872

197.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 RON 1,713

$301 RON 1,371

24.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 RON 3,849

$632 RON 2,877

33.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 RON 2,815

$472 RON 2,149

31.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,596 RON 11.8K

$1,745 RON 7,944

48.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,882 RON 8,567

$1,248 RON 5,680

50.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,236 RON 5,627

$957 RON 4,355

29.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.98

6.8

2.65%

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

Last update for Timisoara: August 1, 2026

Last update for Lugoj: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $570 in Timisoara and $191 in Lugoj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 29% 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: $49.00 in Timisoara vs $35.00 in Lugoj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $140 per month, with Lugoj 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 Lugoj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Timisoara and Lugoj differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,218 vs $917 including rent). Lugoj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 29% 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: $570 in Timisoara versus $191 in Lugoj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,218 per month in Timisoara versus $917 in Lugoj – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lugoj runs roughly 69% less than in Timisoara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $917 in Lugoj versus $1,218 in Timisoara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lugoj but tight or insufficient in Timisoara. The gap between the two cities makes Lugoj the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Timisoara and Lugoj 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 Lugoj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.