Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Sighetu Marmatiei Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Sighetu Marmatiei

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,214 in Timisoara versus $1,008 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Timisoara versus $1,461 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,523 in Timisoara versus $1,914 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 20% more expensive than in Sighetu Marmatiei, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 12% lower, Sighetu Marmatiei 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.90 RON 49.23

$8.97 RON 40.50

21.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.31 RON 218

$22.63 RON 102

113.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.66 RON 39.08

$7.89 RON 35.63

9.76%

Cappuccino

$3.18 RON 14.36

$2.71 RON 12.24

17.34%

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

$2.16 RON 9.74

$2.00 RON 9.04

8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 RON 7.64

$1.83 RON 8.27

-7.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 RON 11.75

$2.16 RON 9.73

20.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 RON 19.55

$3.32 RON 14.97

30.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 RON 6.75

$1.56 RON 7.05

-3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 RON 5.98

$1.07 RON 4.83

23.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.28

$1.23 RON 5.56

13.01%

Eggs

$3.01 RON 13.57

$2.85 RON 12.85

5.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 RON 40.90

$8.72 RON 39.36

3.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 RON 29.10

$6.83 RON 30.82

-5.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.54 RON 52.1

$9.39 RON 42.39

22.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 RON 5.42

$1.14 RON 5.13

5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.18

$1.56 RON 7.06

1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.02

$1.51 RON 6.84

3.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.52 RON 11.38

$1.49 RON 6.74

69.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.53

$0.87 RON 3.95

-10.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.67

$0.91 RON 4.10

13.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.25

$0.78 RON 3.52

-7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 RON 3.73

$0.81 RON 3.66

2.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.71 RON 30.31

$5.75 RON 25.97

16.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.69 RON 34.70

$6.10 RON 27.54

26.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 RON 5.46

$1.09 RON 4.91

11.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.03

$1.90 RON 8.58

-6.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 RON 5.05

$0.82 RON 3.68

36.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.80 RON 162

$22.42 RON 101

59.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 RON 3.81

$0.82 RON 3.69

2.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 RON 3.89

$0.74 RON 3.36

16.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 RON 40.53

$7.84 RON 35.41

14.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 RON 8.38

$1.74 RON 7.86

6.90%

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

$29.3K RON 132.4K

$30.2K RON 136.2K

-2.79%

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

$25.4K RON 114.6K

$26.1K RON 117.7K

-2.67%

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

$176 RON 793

$145 RON 654

21.23%

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

$6.89 RON 31.10

$6.75 RON 30.48

2.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.25 RON 41.75

$8.10 RON 36.55

14.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.89 RON 185

$40.21 RON 182

1.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.41 RON 74.1

$21.47 RON 97.0

-23.57%

Cinema Ticket

$8.83 RON 39.85

$4.35 RON 19.66

102.99%

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

$625 RON 2,823

$412 RON 1,860

51.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,074 RON 41.0K

$9,371 RON 42.3K

-3.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.6 RON 360

$64.5 RON 291

23.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.93 RON 189

$39.38 RON 178

6.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 RON 364

$59.0 RON 266

36.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 RON 418

$66.5 RON 300

39.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 RON 2,550

$403 RON 1,819

40.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 RON 1,698

$298 RON 1,343

26.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 RON 3,930

$632 RON 2,853

37.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 RON 2,915

$463 RON 2,089

39.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,637 RON 11.9K

$1,979 RON 8,937

33.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,947 RON 8,792

$1,393 RON 6,287

39.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,222 RON 5,517

$555 RON 2,505

120.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.88

7.1

-3.10%

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

Last update for Timisoara: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sighetu Marmatiei: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $565 in Timisoara and $403 in Sighetu Marmatiei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 120% 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: $48.00 in Timisoara vs $23.00 in Sighetu Marmatiei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $198 per month, with Sighetu Marmatiei 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 Sighetu Marmatiei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Timisoara and Sighetu Marmatiei differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,214 vs $1,008 including rent). Sighetu Marmatiei is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 120% 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: $565 in Timisoara versus $403 in Sighetu Marmatiei. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,214 per month in Timisoara versus $1,008 in Sighetu Marmatiei – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

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

At $1,008 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $1,214 in Timisoara, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sighetu Marmatiei but tight or insufficient in Timisoara. The gap between the two cities makes Sighetu Marmatiei 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 Sighetu Marmatiei 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 Sighetu Marmatiei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.