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: $1,237 in Timisoara versus $949 in Zărnești.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,867 in Timisoara versus $1,486 in Zărnești.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,498 in Timisoara versus $2,022 in Zărnești.

Living in Timisoara is roughly 30% more expensive than in Zărnești, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Timisoara 10% lower, Zărnești 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.18 RON 50.5

$9.10 RON 41.08

22.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.24 RON 218

$44.58 RON 201

8.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 RON 41.08

$8.83 RON 39.86

3.06%

Cappuccino

$3.19 RON 14.39

$2.32 RON 10.50

37.50%

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

$2.16 RON 9.74

$1.54 RON 6.95

40.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.60

$1.26 RON 5.68

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 RON 12.28

$2.00 RON 9.04

36.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 RON 20.13

$2.45 RON 11.07

82.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 RON 6.66

$1.30 RON 5.85

13.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 RON 5.87

$1.12 RON 5.08

16.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 RON 6.34

$1.48 RON 6.69

-4.73%

Eggs

$2.97 RON 13.43

$2.98 RON 13.43

-0.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.16 RON 41.36

$8.42 RON 38.02

8.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 RON 29.41

$4.96 RON 22.41

31.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 RON 53.2

$10.64 RON 48.04

10.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 RON 5.71

$1.01 RON 4.55

25.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.11

$1.33 RON 6.02

18.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 6.99

$1.31 RON 5.89

18.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 RON 11.14

$1.32 RON 5.95

87.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.77

$0.80 RON 3.61

5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.66

$0.53 RON 2.40

94.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 RON 3.09

$0.90 RON 4.07

-24.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.50

$0.74 RON 3.34

4.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 RON 29.27

$5.59 RON 25.23

15.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.70 RON 34.77

$7.82 RON 35.32

-1.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 RON 5.44

$1.09 RON 4.94

10.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 RON 8.07

$1.36 RON 6.12

31.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 RON 4.92

$0.73 RON 3.30

49.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.43 RON 160

$22.44 RON 101

57.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 RON 4.11

$0.93 RON 4.20

-2.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 RON 4.12

$0.85 RON 3.84

7.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.59 RON 38.77

$7.76 RON 35.03

10.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 RON 8.54

$1.51 RON 6.80

25.17%

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

$30.2K RON 136.2K

$29.5K RON 133.0K

2.44%

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

$25.5K RON 115.3K

$27.2K RON 122.7K

-5.96%

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

$180 RON 811

$106 RON 481

68.66%

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

$6.91 RON 31.20

$9.87 RON 44.57

-29.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.78 RON 39.65

$8.57 RON 38.68

2.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.17 RON 186

$39.96 RON 180

3.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.78 RON 75.8

$21.97 RON 99.2

-23.62%

Cinema Ticket

$9.04 RON 40.82

$6.72 RON 30.33

34.52%

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

$623 RON 2,814

$454 RON 2,051

37.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,138 RON 41.3K

$8,146 RON 36.8K

12.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.3 RON 349

$46.24 RON 209

67.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.17 RON 190

$28.75 RON 130

46.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 RON 363

$70.9 RON 320

13.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 RON 424

$80.8 RON 365

16.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 RON 2,578

$397 RON 1,792

43.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 RON 1,682

$312 RON 1,410

19.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 RON 3,866

$651 RON 2,939

31.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 RON 2,922

$534 RON 2,411

21.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,646 RON 11.9K

$1,993 RON 9,000

32.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,930 RON 8,713

$1,386 RON 6,258

39.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,222 RON 5,518

$526 RON 2,375

132.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.88

7.47

-7.90%

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

Last update for Timisoara: September 5, 2026

Last update for Zărnești: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $571 in Timisoara and $397 in Zărnești. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 132% 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 $45.00 in Zărnești for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $189 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 30% in total monthly costs ($1,237 vs $949 including rent). Zărnești is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 132% 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: $571 in Timisoara versus $397 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 $45.00 versus $48.00 in Timisoara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,237 per month in Timisoara versus $949 in Zărnești – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $949 in Zărnești versus $1,237 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 30% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.