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: $1,184 in Timisoara versus $827 in Lugoj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,820 in Timisoara versus $1,272 in Lugoj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,455 in Timisoara versus $1,717 in Lugoj.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 43% more expensive than in Lugoj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 13% lower, Lugoj 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.78 RON 49.40

$10.14 RON 46.45

6.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.57 RON 222

$35.09 RON 161

38.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 RON 39.27

$5.35 RON 24.49

60.19%

Cappuccino

$3.05 RON 13.96

$1.93 RON 8.82

58.03%

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

$2.29 RON 10.47

$1.63 RON 7.48

40.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.15

$1.50 RON 6.86

18.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 RON 12.01

$2.18 RON 10.01

20.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 RON 20.72

$2.12 RON 9.72

113.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 RON 6.74

$1.75 RON 8.00

-16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.78

$0.97 RON 4.46

29.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.63

$0.65 RON 2.96

123.08%

Eggs

$3.08 RON 14.09

$1.35 RON 6.17

128.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 RON 40.13

$3.59 RON 16.44

144.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.40 RON 29.32

$4.06 RON 18.60

57.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.67 RON 53.5

$4.46 RON 20.44

161.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.65

$1.08 RON 4.95

13.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.25

$1.34 RON 6.14

17.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 RON 7.01

$1.80 RON 8.23

-15.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 RON 11.17

$0.64 RON 2.95

281.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 RON 3.50

$0.64 RON 2.93

18.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.68

$0.68 RON 3.12

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 RON 3.37

$1.01 RON 4.62

-27.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.56

$0.65 RON 2.97

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.69 RON 30.66

$5.09 RON 23.32

31.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.60 RON 34.80

$4.30 RON 19.70

76.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.69

$1.34 RON 6.13

-7.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 RON 8.23

$1.81 RON 8.27

-0.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RON 4.94

$0.63 RON 2.91

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.39 RON 162

$22.13 RON 101

59.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.91

$0.96 RON 4.40

-11.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 4.09

$1.01 RON 4.65

-11.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.82 RON 40.42

$8.82 RON 40.38

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 RON 8.78

$1.97 RON 9.03

-2.54%

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

$29.3K RON 134.3K

$29.8K RON 136.5K

-1.60%

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

$25.6K RON 117.3K

$25.6K RON 117.4K

-0.12%

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

$176 RON 808

$53.9 RON 247

227.34%

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

$6.85 RON 31.38

$8.69 RON 39.82

-21.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.14 RON 41.85

$10.10 RON 46.25

-9.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.11 RON 188

$22.04 RON 101

86.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.53 RON 75.7

$26.58 RON 122

-37.81%

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 RON 38.48

$9.86 RON 45.19

-14.81%

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

$613 RON 2,807

$618 RON 2,831

-0.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,005 RON 41.3K

$10.1K RON 46.4K

-11.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.9 RON 352

$94.8 RON 434

-18.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.26 RON 194

$47.73 RON 219

-11.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 RON 366

$105 RON 482

-24.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.2 RON 436

$113 RON 516

-15.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,583

$191 RON 877

194.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 RON 1,733

$221 RON 1,013

71.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 RON 3,989

$334 RON 1,529

160.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 RON 2,909

$328 RON 1,502

93.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,565 RON 11.8K

$1,371 RON 6,281

87.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,911 RON 8,755

$1,082 RON 4,955

76.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,192 RON 5,462

$960 RON 4,398

24.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.88

6.8

1.18%

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

Last update for Timisoara: September 14, 2026

Last update for Lugoj: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $564 in Timisoara and $191 in Lugoj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 24% 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 $214 vs $137 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 43% in total monthly costs ($1,184 vs $827 including rent). Lugoj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 24% 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 $191 in Lugoj. 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 $827 in Lugoj – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lugoj runs roughly 60% less than in Timisoara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $827 in Lugoj versus $1,184 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 43% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.