Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Satu Mare Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Satu Mare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,150 in Timisoara versus $947 in Satu Mare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,792 in Timisoara versus $1,455 in Satu Mare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,435 in Timisoara versus $1,962 in Satu Mare.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 21% more expensive than Satu Mare, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 14% lower, Satu Mare 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.04 RON 40.86

$8.97 RON 40.57

0.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 RON 264

$46.81 RON 212

24.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 RON 36.09

$6.73 RON 30.41

18.57%

Cappuccino

$3.13 RON 14.16

$2.44 RON 11.04

28.28%

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

$2.18 RON 9.84

$1.72 RON 7.79

26.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.97

$1.46 RON 6.60

35.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 RON 12.31

$2.01 RON 9.08

35.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 RON 15.83

$2.27 RON 10.28

54.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.93

$1.51 RON 6.84

1.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 RON 5.78

$1.13 RON 5.12

13.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.75

$1.27 RON 5.72

17.32%

Eggs

$3.24 RON 14.63

$3.09 RON 13.95

4.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.76 RON 44.13

$8.29 RON 37.48

17.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.41 RON 28.99

$6.32 RON 28.56

1.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 RON 51.4

$11.36 RON 51.4

0.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.92

$1.09 RON 4.91

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.87

$1.50 RON 6.77

1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.03

$1.40 RON 6.32

10.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 RON 11.68

$1.79 RON 8.08

44.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$0.71 RON 3.22

9.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.41

$0.98 RON 4.45

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 RON 3.01

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.33

$0.77 RON 3.48

-3.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 RON 26.46

$5.71 RON 25.82

2.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.95 RON 35.92

$6.47 RON 29.26

22.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 RON 5.44

$1.25 RON 5.64

-4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 RON 7.75

$1.67 RON 7.56

2.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 RON 4.29

$0.59 RON 2.68

61.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.04 RON 136

$25.41 RON 115

18.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.06

$0.83 RON 3.74

8.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 RON 3.75

$0.87 RON 3.94

-4.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.18 RON 32.48

$7.32 RON 33.08

-1.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.11

$1.55 RON 7.00

1.29%

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

$27.5K RON 124.2K

$25.1K RON 113.7K

9.28%

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

$26.7K RON 120.5K

$25.4K RON 115.0K

4.81%

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

$139 RON 627

$137 RON 621

1.01%

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

$8.33 RON 37.67

$8.00 RON 36.14

4.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.19 RON 41.53

$9.30 RON 42.06

-1.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.01 RON 194

$48.87 RON 221

-11.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.00 RON 67.8

$11.66 RON 52.7

28.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 RON 36.13

$6.79 RON 30.70

17.67%

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

$491 RON 2,218

$187 RON 844

162.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K RON 46.5K

$10.3K RON 46.3K

0.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.7 RON 356

$65.8 RON 297

19.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.23 RON 195

$30.23 RON 137

43.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.7 RON 374

$81.2 RON 367

1.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.9 RON 429

$76.5 RON 346

24.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 RON 2,238

$304 RON 1,374

62.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 RON 1,620

$236 RON 1,069

51.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 RON 3,345

$546 RON 2,469

35.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 RON 2,742

$348 RON 1,574

74.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,652 RON 12.0K

$1,057 RON 4,776

151.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,964 RON 8,880

$1,117 RON 5,048

75.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,217 RON 5,502

$689 RON 3,115

76.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

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

Last update for Timisoara: May 31, 2026

Last update for Satu Mare: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $495 in Timisoara and $304 in Satu Mare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 77% 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 $47.00 in Satu Mare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $202 per month, with Satu Mare 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 Satu Mare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Satu Mare wins on cost – living expenses run 21% lower than in Timisoara. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Satu Mare the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Timisoara pays 77% 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: $495 in Timisoara versus $304 in Satu Mare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Satu Mare runs roughly 18% less than in Timisoara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $491 in Timisoara versus $187 in Satu Mare. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $947 in Satu Mare versus $1,150 in Timisoara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Satu Mare but tight or insufficient in Timisoara. The gap between the two cities makes Satu Mare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Satu Mare delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $947 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Satu Mare hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Timisoara and Satu Mare 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 Satu Mare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.