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: $1,140 in Timisoara versus $1,021 in Zărnești.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,783 in Timisoara versus $1,533 in Zărnești.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,425 in Timisoara versus $2,045 in Zărnești.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 12% more expensive than Zărnești, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 15% lower, Zărnești 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 RON 39.51

$8.74 RON 37.95

4.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 RON 252

$39.98 RON 174

45.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 RON 34.48

$9.04 RON 39.23

-12.17%

Cappuccino

$3.27 RON 14.19

$2.20 RON 9.56

48.64%

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

$2.16 RON 9.38

$1.32 RON 5.73

63.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 RON 8.76

$1.14 RON 4.95

77.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 RON 11.71

$2.22 RON 9.65

21.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 RON 14.70

$2.74 RON 11.91

23.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 6.67

$1.40 RON 6.08

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 RON 5.53

$1.12 RON 4.84

13.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.57

$1.65 RON 7.14

-8.48%

Eggs

$3.30 RON 14.30

$3.05 RON 13.25

8.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 40.23

$8.58 RON 37.25

8.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 RON 27.99

$5.21 RON 22.61

23.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.32 RON 49.15

$12.67 RON 55.0

-10.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 RON 4.94

$1.03 RON 4.46

10.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 RON 6.47

$1.37 RON 5.94

8.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.56 RON 6.76

$1.35 RON 5.86

15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 RON 11.21

$1.42 RON 6.14

81.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.35

$0.96 RON 4.17

-19.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.40

$0.91 RON 3.97

10.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.08

$0.78 RON 3.41

-8.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.46

$0.74 RON 3.23

8.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.05 RON 26.26

$5.66 RON 24.57

6.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.00 RON 34.73

$7.87 RON 34.18

1.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 RON 5.47

$1.03 RON 4.46

22.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 RON 7.51

$1.35 RON 5.84

28.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 RON 3.92

$0.71 RON 3.07

26.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.95 RON 130

$19.64 RON 85.2

52.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 RON 3.62

$0.96 RON 4.16

-13.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.50

$0.89 RON 3.85

-8.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 RON 32.40

$7.40 RON 32.14

0.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 RON 7.09

$1.53 RON 6.66

6.54%

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

$28.3K RON 123.0K

$28.3K RON 122.7K

0.26%

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

$26.0K RON 112.7K

$28.5K RON 123.7K

-8.93%

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

$137 RON 595

$173 RON 752

-20.84%

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

$8.42 RON 36.55

$7.88 RON 34.20

6.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.13 RON 39.62

$10.12 RON 43.91

-9.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.55 RON 189

$40.98 RON 178

6.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.10 RON 65.5

$19.46 RON 84.4

-22.40%

Cinema Ticket

$8.04 RON 34.91

$5.60 RON 24.29

43.57%

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

$495 RON 2,150

$424 RON 1,841

16.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K RON 44.6K

$6,918 RON 30.0K

48.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.5 RON 336

$49.26 RON 214

57.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.14 RON 183

$29.56 RON 128

42.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 RON 365

$73.0 RON 317

15.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 RON 419

$82.0 RON 356

17.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 RON 2,161

$395 RON 1,716

25.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 RON 1,521

$295 RON 1,278

18.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$720 RON 3,124

$589 RON 2,554

22.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 RON 2,539

$446 RON 1,935

31.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 RON 11.9K

$1,558 RON 6,762

75.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 RON 8,347

$1,409 RON 6,115

36.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,305 RON 5,663

$545 RON 2,364

139.52%

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: April 22, 2026

Last update for Zărnești: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $498 in Timisoara and $395 in Zărnești. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 140% 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 $40 in Zărnești for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $218 vs $200 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 12% in total monthly costs ($1,140 vs $1,021 including rent). Zărnești is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Timisoara pays 140% 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 $395 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 $58.0 in Timisoara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,140 per month in Timisoara versus $1,021 in Zărnești – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,021 in Zărnești versus $1,140 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 12% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.