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: $1,139 in Timisoara versus $854 in Lugoj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Timisoara versus $1,283 in Lugoj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,429 in Timisoara versus $1,712 in Lugoj.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 15% lower, Lugoj 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.41 RON 41.02

$9.00 RON 39.22

4.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.8 RON 252

$27.29 RON 119

111.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 RON 34.64

$5.87 RON 25.61

35.43%

Cappuccino

$3.29 RON 14.33

$1.17 RON 5.12

181.20%

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

$2.28 RON 9.94

$1.18 RON 5.16

93.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 RON 8.35

$0.91 RON 3.96

109.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.82 RON 12.31

$2.26 RON 9.87

24.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 14.92

$1.63 RON 7.10

109.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.67

$1.50 RON 6.54

2.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 RON 5.54

$0.95 RON 4.13

33.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.47

$0.68 RON 2.96

117.65%

Eggs

$3.24 RON 14.13

$1.41 RON 6.17

129.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 RON 40.83

$3.75 RON 16.34

149.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 RON 28.72

$4.35 RON 18.97

51.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 RON 49.57

$4.58 RON 19.95

148.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.77

$1.18 RON 5.16

-7.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 6.87

$1.37 RON 5.97

15.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 RON 6.68

$1.53 RON 6.66

Tomato (1kg)

$2.57 RON 11.22

$0.68 RON 2.96

277.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 RON 3.14

$0.70 RON 3.06

2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.30

$0.68 RON 2.96

45.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 RON 2.95

$0.79 RON 3.44

-13.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.22

$0.72 RON 3.12

2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.06 RON 26.43

$5.23 RON 22.82

15.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.24 RON 35.94

$4.67 RON 20.38

76.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 RON 5.45

$1.30 RON 5.66

-3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 RON 7.61

$1.80 RON 7.84

-2.78%

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

$19.47 RON 84.9

55.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 RON 3.85

$0.61 RON 2.64

44.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 RON 3.46

$0.82 RON 3.56

-3.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.43 RON 32.39

$6.75 RON 29.42

10.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 6.93

$1.60 RON 6.98

-0.63%

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

$27.8K RON 121.1K

$27.7K RON 120.7K

0.36%

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

$25.9K RON 112.9K

$27.6K RON 120.2K

-6.09%

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

$140 RON 611

$56.8 RON 247

146.72%

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

$8.68 RON 37.84

$8.14 RON 35.49

6.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.22 RON 40.19

$11.59 RON 50.5

-20.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.11 RON 188

$40.75 RON 178

5.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.17 RON 66.2

$18.92 RON 82.5

-19.82%

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 RON 35.02

$6.49 RON 28.30

23.73%

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

$502 RON 2,188

$443 RON 1,933

13.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 43.9K

$8,839 RON 38.5K

13.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.6 RON 342

$80.3 RON 350

-2.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.54 RON 185

$36.85 RON 161

15.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.0 RON 362

$78.5 RON 342

5.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.9 RON 422

$86.4 RON 377

12.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$489 RON 2,131

$392 RON 1,709

24.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 RON 1,560

$295 RON 1,288

21.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 RON 3,226

$599 RON 2,611

23.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 RON 2,591

$444 RON 1,934

34.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,664 RON 11.6K

$1,804 RON 7,865

47.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,982 RON 8,641

$1,395 RON 6,081

42.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,276 RON 5,562

$1,037 RON 4,521

23.02%

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 Lugoj: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $489 in Timisoara and $392 in Lugoj. 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 $27.00 in Lugoj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $138 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 ($1,139 vs $854 including rent). Lugoj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

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: $489 in Timisoara versus $392 in Lugoj. 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 $854 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 55% less than in Timisoara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $854 in Lugoj versus $1,139 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.