Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Zărnești Cost of Living Comparison Between Timisoara and Zărnești

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,146 in Timisoara versus $1,007 in Zărnești.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,773 in Timisoara versus $1,518 in Zărnești.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,399 in Timisoara versus $2,030 in Zărnești.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 14% more expensive than in Zărnești, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 14% lower, Zărnești 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.95 RON 41.05

$8.80 RON 40.37

1.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.9 RON 261

$40.16 RON 184

41.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 RON 37.96

$9.05 RON 41.50

-8.51%

Cappuccino

$3.18 RON 14.58

$2.31 RON 10.58

37.66%

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

$2.17 RON 9.96

$1.32 RON 6.04

64.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.23

$1.15 RON 5.26

74.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 RON 12.34

$2.21 RON 10.15

21.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 RON 15.88

$2.84 RON 13.01

21.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.08

$1.35 RON 6.18

14.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 RON 6.06

$1.17 RON 5.39

12.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 RON 6.69

$1.63 RON 7.48

-10.43%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.92

$2.93 RON 13.43

10.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 RON 42.23

$8.89 RON 40.75

3.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 RON 29.51

$5.15 RON 23.62

25.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.30 RON 51.8

$12.34 RON 56.6

-8.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.08 RON 4.95

$1.03 RON 4.71

4.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 RON 7.14

$1.35 RON 6.19

15.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.37

$1.41 RON 6.46

14.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 RON 11.82

$1.36 RON 6.23

89.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.61

$0.89 RON 4.09

-11.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 RON 4.51

$0.92 RON 4.22

6.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.31

$0.73 RON 3.36

-1.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.55

$0.78 RON 3.59

-1.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 RON 27.69

$5.65 RON 25.91

6.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.56 RON 34.68

$7.42 RON 34.03

1.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 RON 5.72

$1.08 RON 4.96

15.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 RON 7.62

$1.35 RON 6.21

22.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 RON 4.32

$0.66 RON 3.03

42.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.81 RON 137

$19.98 RON 91.6

49.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.92

$0.95 RON 4.34

-10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 RON 3.87

$0.82 RON 3.76

2.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 RON 34.14

$7.56 RON 34.68

-1.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.30

$1.60 RON 7.36

-0.63%

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

$28.2K RON 129.3K

$28.4K RON 130.2K

-0.69%

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

$26.7K RON 122.5K

$27.6K RON 126.4K

-3.07%

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

$137 RON 628

$169 RON 773

-18.75%

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

$8.51 RON 39.00

$7.92 RON 36.33

7.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.15 RON 41.95

$9.90 RON 45.39

-7.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.88 RON 201

$41.70 RON 191

5.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.22 RON 69.8

$19.16 RON 87.8

-20.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 RON 36.00

$5.68 RON 26.04

38.20%

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

$501 RON 2,295

$422 RON 1,935

18.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 46.5K

$6,960 RON 31.9K

45.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.4 RON 350

$48.29 RON 221

58.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.15 RON 198

$30.50 RON 140

41.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 RON 373

$73.1 RON 335

11.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 RON 433

$79.8 RON 366

18.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$488 RON 2,239

$386 RON 1,769

26.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$353 RON 1,621

$285 RON 1,308

23.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 RON 3,347

$594 RON 2,723

22.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 RON 2,773

$440 RON 2,017

37.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,609 RON 12.0K

$1,728 RON 7,924

50.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,969 RON 9,030

$1,427 RON 6,543

38.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,215 RON 5,573

$525 RON 2,408

131.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

8.17

-18.48%

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

Last update for Timisoara: July 21, 2026

Last update for Zărnești: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $488 in Timisoara and $386 in Zărnești. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 131% 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: $57.0 in Timisoara vs $40.00 in Zărnești for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $216 vs $198 per month, with Zărnești 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 Zărnești: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Timisoara and Zărnești differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,146 vs $1,007 including rent). Zărnești is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 131% 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: $488 in Timisoara versus $386 in Zărnești. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Zărnești – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $57.0 in Timisoara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,146 per month in Timisoara versus $1,007 in Zărnești – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,007 in Zărnești versus $1,146 in Timisoara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zărnești but tight or insufficient in Timisoara. The gap between the two cities makes Zărnești 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 Zărnești 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 Zărnești gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.