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: $1,122 in Timisoara versus $827 in Lugoj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,773 in Timisoara versus $1,264 in Lugoj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,424 in Timisoara versus $1,700 in Lugoj.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 36% more expensive than Lugoj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 17% lower, Lugoj 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 RON 40.96

$9.39 RON 42.46

-3.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 RON 265

$27.26 RON 123

114.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 RON 37.47

$5.71 RON 25.85

45.01%

Cappuccino

$3.28 RON 14.82

$1.12 RON 5.09

192.86%

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

$2.26 RON 10.21

$1.14 RON 5.15

98.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RON 9.17

$0.88 RON 3.96

130.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 RON 12.78

$2.25 RON 10.18

25.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 RON 15.39

$1.59 RON 7.18

113.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.86

$1.55 RON 7.01

-1.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.91

$1.01 RON 4.57

29.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.70

$0.71 RON 3.23

108.45%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.70

$1.35 RON 6.10

140.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 RON 43.56

$3.79 RON 17.12

154.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 RON 30.02

$4.28 RON 19.38

55.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 RON 52.3

$4.67 RON 21.14

147.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.92

$1.13 RON 5.11

-3.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.03

$1.35 RON 6.09

14.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.30

$1.52 RON 6.86

5.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 RON 11.10

$0.66 RON 3.00

271.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 RON 3.30

$0.67 RON 3.02

8.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.59

$0.66 RON 2.98

54.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 RON 3.30

$0.79 RON 3.56

-7.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 RON 3.30

$0.66 RON 2.98

10.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 RON 26.06

$5.28 RON 23.89

9.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RON 35.23

$4.31 RON 19.49

80.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 RON 5.41

$1.32 RON 5.96

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.61

$1.79 RON 8.11

-6.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 RON 4.08

$0.67 RON 3.05

34.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.98 RON 136

$19.61 RON 88.7

52.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.07

$0.57 RON 2.57

57.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 RON 3.83

$0.89 RON 4.02

-4.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.35 RON 33.25

$6.76 RON 30.60

8.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.42

$1.59 RON 7.20

3.14%

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

$27.9K RON 126.3K

$28.4K RON 128.3K

-1.63%

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

$26.0K RON 117.8K

$27.3K RON 123.4K

-4.56%

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

$140 RON 631

$56.8 RON 257

145.79%

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

$8.54 RON 38.62

$7.99 RON 36.15

6.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.01 RON 40.78

$11.37 RON 51.5

-20.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.38 RON 196

$41.20 RON 186

5.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.02 RON 68.0

$19.47 RON 88.1

-22.86%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 RON 37.49

$6.43 RON 29.09

28.93%

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

$506 RON 2,287

$446 RON 2,019

13.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 45.8K

$8,841 RON 40.0K

14.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 RON 347

$79.2 RON 358

-3.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.61 RON 193

$37.02 RON 167

15.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 RON 373

$79.6 RON 360

3.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 RON 436

$85.3 RON 386

13.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 RON 2,247

$383 RON 1,733

29.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 RON 1,629

$296 RON 1,337

21.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 RON 3,299

$589 RON 2,665

23.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$586 RON 2,650

$444 RON 2,008

31.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,722 RON 12.3K

$1,710 RON 7,734

59.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,009 RON 9,086

$1,357 RON 6,139

48.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,228 RON 5,554

$982 RON 4,444

25.00%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Lugoj: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $497 in Timisoara and $383 in Lugoj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 25% 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 $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 36% in total monthly costs ($1,122 vs $827 including rent). Lugoj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Timisoara pays 25% 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: $497 in Timisoara versus $383 in Lugoj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,122 per month in Timisoara versus $827 in Lugoj – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lugoj runs roughly 53% 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 $1,122 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 36% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.