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: $1,122 in Timisoara versus $1,006 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: $2,424 in Timisoara versus $2,029 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 17% lower, Zărnești 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.05 RON 41.10

$8.44 RON 38.30

7.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.5 RON 266

$39.89 RON 181

46.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 RON 37.60

$8.79 RON 39.88

-5.80%

Cappuccino

$3.28 RON 14.87

$2.28 RON 10.36

43.86%

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

$2.26 RON 10.25

$1.26 RON 5.70

79.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 RON 9.20

$1.12 RON 5.08

81.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 RON 12.82

$2.23 RON 10.12

26.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 RON 15.44

$2.79 RON 12.65

21.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.89

$1.40 RON 6.36

8.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 RON 5.93

$1.18 RON 5.36

11.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.72

$1.58 RON 7.17

-6.33%

Eggs

$3.25 RON 14.76

$3.07 RON 13.94

5.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 RON 43.72

$8.74 RON 39.67

10.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 RON 30.12

$4.98 RON 22.63

33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 RON 52.5

$12.49 RON 56.7

-7.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 RON 4.94

$0.99 RON 4.49

10.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.06

$1.37 RON 6.21

13.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.32

$1.39 RON 6.32

15.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 RON 11.13

$1.40 RON 6.34

75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 RON 3.31

$0.96 RON 4.34

-23.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.61

$0.91 RON 4.14

12.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 RON 3.31

$0.80 RON 3.65

-8.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 RON 3.31

$0.79 RON 3.58

-7.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 RON 26.15

$5.90 RON 26.79

-2.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RON 35.36

$7.84 RON 35.60

-0.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 RON 5.43

$1.03 RON 4.68

16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.64

$1.41 RON 6.39

19.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 RON 4.09

$0.71 RON 3.21

26.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.98 RON 136

$20.13 RON 91.4

48.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.08

$0.96 RON 4.34

-6.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$0.87 RON 3.96

-2.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.35 RON 33.36

$7.20 RON 32.70

2.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.45

$1.54 RON 7.01

6.49%

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

$27.9K RON 126.7K

$27.5K RON 124.7K

1.64%

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

$26.0K RON 118.2K

$28.3K RON 128.6K

-8.08%

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

$140 RON 634

$171 RON 778

-18.56%

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

$8.54 RON 38.76

$8.33 RON 37.83

2.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.01 RON 40.92

$10.08 RON 45.77

-10.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.38 RON 197

$42.12 RON 191

2.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.02 RON 68.2

$18.98 RON 86.2

-20.86%

Cinema Ticket

$8.29 RON 37.62

$5.59 RON 25.37

48.30%

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

$506 RON 2,295

$434 RON 1,970

16.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K RON 46.0K

$6,944 RON 31.5K

45.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.7 RON 348

$48.29 RON 219

58.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.61 RON 193

$30.48 RON 138

39.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.5 RON 375

$75.1 RON 341

9.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.5 RON 438

$80.4 RON 365

19.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 RON 2,255

$382 RON 1,736

29.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 RON 1,635

$295 RON 1,339

22.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 RON 3,311

$584 RON 2,653

24.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$586 RON 2,659

$438 RON 1,987

33.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,722 RON 12.4K

$2,063 RON 9,367

31.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,009 RON 9,119

$1,374 RON 6,238

46.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,228 RON 5,574

$518 RON 2,353

136.94%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Zărnești: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $497 in Timisoara and $382 in Zărnești. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 137% 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: $58.0 in Timisoara vs $40.00 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 ($1,122 vs $1,006 including rent). Zărnești is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Timisoara pays 137% 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: $497 in Timisoara versus $382 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 $1,122 per month in Timisoara versus $1,006 in Zărnești – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,006 in Zărnești versus $1,122 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.