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: $1,140 in Timisoara versus $986 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,783 in Timisoara versus $1,435 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,425 in Timisoara versus $1,885 in Sighetu Marmatiei.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 16% more expensive than Sighetu Marmatiei, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 15% lower, Sighetu Marmatiei 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 RON 39.51

$6.93 RON 30.06

31.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 252

$22.76 RON 98.8

155.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 RON 34.48

$6.53 RON 28.34

21.59%

Cappuccino

$3.27 RON 14.19

$1.90 RON 8.25

72.11%

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

$2.16 RON 9.38

$2.00 RON 8.70

8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 RON 8.76

$1.59 RON 6.89

27.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 RON 11.71

$2.04 RON 8.86

32.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 RON 14.70

$3.02 RON 13.11

12.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 6.67

$1.24 RON 5.39

24.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 RON 5.53

$1.14 RON 4.96

11.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.57

$1.97 RON 8.56

-23.35%

Eggs

$3.30 RON 14.30

$2.85 RON 12.38

15.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 40.23

$8.37 RON 36.34

10.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 RON 27.99

$6.89 RON 29.89

-6.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 RON 49.15

$11.42 RON 49.58

-0.88%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 RON 4.94

$0.97 RON 4.22

17.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.47

$1.57 RON 6.83

-5.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 6.76

$1.44 RON 6.24

8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 RON 11.21

$1.94 RON 8.40

32.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.35

$0.76 RON 3.31

1.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.40

$1.10 RON 4.77

-8.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.08

$1.01 RON 4.38

-29.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.46

$0.63 RON 2.74

26.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.05 RON 26.26

$5.68 RON 24.65

6.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 RON 34.73

$6.75 RON 29.31

18.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 RON 5.47

$0.94 RON 4.07

34.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.51

$1.54 RON 6.68

12.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 RON 3.92

$0.71 RON 3.06

26.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.95 RON 130

$20.03 RON 86.9

49.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 RON 3.62

$1.13 RON 4.90

-26.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.50

$0.81 RON 3.54

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 RON 32.40

$6.76 RON 29.36

10.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 RON 7.09

$1.60 RON 6.95

1.87%

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

$28.3K RON 123.0K

$28.5K RON 123.8K

-0.66%

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

$26.0K RON 112.7K

$26.2K RON 113.5K

-0.76%

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

$137 RON 595

$160 RON 695

-14.34%

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

$8.42 RON 36.55

$8.02 RON 34.81

4.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.13 RON 39.62

$9.78 RON 42.44

-6.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.55 RON 189

$41.81 RON 181

4.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.10 RON 65.5

$18.84 RON 81.8

-19.85%

Cinema Ticket

$8.04 RON 34.91

$4.50 RON 19.55

78.67%

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

$495 RON 2,150

$308 RON 1,337

60.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K RON 44.6K

$10.0K RON 43.4K

2.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 RON 336

$37.46 RON 163

106.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.14 RON 183

$30.50 RON 132

38.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 RON 365

$72.8 RON 316

15.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 RON 419

$73.1 RON 317

31.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 RON 2,161

$393 RON 1,704

26.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 RON 1,521

$293 RON 1,270

19.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 RON 3,124

$589 RON 2,557

22.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 RON 2,539

$435 RON 1,886

34.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 RON 11.9K

$2,054 RON 8,915

33.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 RON 8,347

$1,579 RON 6,855

21.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,305 RON 5,663

$574 RON 2,491

127.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

7.11

-6.33%

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

Last update for Timisoara: April 22, 2026

Last update for Sighetu Marmatiei: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Timisoara and $393 in Sighetu Marmatiei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 127% 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 in Timisoara vs $23 in Sighetu Marmatiei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $204 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 16% in total monthly costs ($1,140 vs $986 including rent). Sighetu Marmatiei is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Timisoara pays 127% 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: $498 in Timisoara versus $393 in Sighetu Marmatiei. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,140 per month in Timisoara versus $986 in Sighetu Marmatiei – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sighetu Marmatiei runs roughly 50% less than in Timisoara. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $986 in Sighetu Marmatiei versus $1,140 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 16% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.