Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Zalau and Timisoara

For one person, living is cheaper in Zalau: $871 a month against $1,158 in Timisoara, rent and utilities included – about $3,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Zalau
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Zalau Living Index
56

Cost of Living Index in Timisoara
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Timisoara Living Index

Jump to prices

Zalau

🇷🇴 Romania

$871

/mo nomad

Timisoara

🇷🇴 Romania

$1,158

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Zalau and in Timisoara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Zalau and in Timisoara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $871 in Zalau versus $1,158 in Timisoara.

Zalau $871
Timisoara $1,158

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,327 in Zalau versus $1,757 in Timisoara.

Zalau $1,327
Timisoara $1,757

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,783 in Zalau versus $2,355 in Timisoara.

Zalau $1,783
Timisoara $2,355

Living in Zalau costs roughly 25% less than in Timisoara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zalau 36% lower, Timisoara 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.52 RON 35.59

$10.56 RON 49.97

-28.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.18 RON 166

$45.44 RON 215

-22.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 RON 24.83

$8.35 RON 39.51

-37.13%

Cappuccino

$2.18 RON 10.30

$2.93 RON 13.87

-25.60%

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

$1.49 RON 7.07

$2.14 RON 10.11

-30.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.86

$1.66 RON 7.85

-25.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 RON 8.83

$2.70 RON 12.77

-30.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 RON 11.19

$4.27 RON 20.22

-44.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RON 6.53

$1.39 RON 6.58

-0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 RON 5.34

$1.21 RON 5.71

-6.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 RON 5.84

$1.33 RON 6.31

-7.52%

Eggs

$1.97 RON 9.31

$2.81 RON 13.32

-29.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.88 RON 37.28

$8.37 RON 39.61

-5.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 RON 26.01

$6.09 RON 28.81

-9.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.45 RON 49.45

$11.02 RON 52.2

-5.17%

Apples (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.79

$1.15 RON 5.42

-30.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 RON 6.09

$1.45 RON 6.86

-11.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 RON 6.83

$1.47 RON 6.94

-2.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.96

$2.34 RON 11.07

-19.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 RON 3.13

$0.74 RON 3.50

-10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 RON 2.63

$0.94 RON 4.44

-40.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 RON 2.89

$0.67 RON 3.17

-8.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 RON 3.44

$0.77 RON 3.66

-5.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.94 RON 23.39

$6.17 RON 29.17

-19.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.20 RON 24.59

$7.52 RON 35.58

-30.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 5.06

$1.15 RON 5.44

-6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 5.40

$1.76 RON 8.31

-35.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.81 RON 3.84

$1.02 RON 4.85

-20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.39 RON 101

$34.21 RON 162

-37.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 RON 3.89

$0.87 RON 4.10

-5.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 RON 3.86

$0.82 RON 3.87

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 RON 36.03

$8.54 RON 40.39

-10.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 RON 7.08

$1.88 RON 8.90

-20.21%

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

$28.5K RON 135.0K

$28.8K RON 136.3K

-0.94%

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

$25.7K RON 121.8K

$24.7K RON 116.8K

4.32%

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

$102 RON 481

$168 RON 793

-39.29%

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

$4.27 RON 20.22

$6.42 RON 30.37

-33.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.29 RON 29.74

$8.59 RON 40.62

-26.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.09 RON 157

$38.76 RON 183

-14.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.48 RON 102

$15.71 RON 74.3

36.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.38 RON 25.46

$8.26 RON 39.10

-34.87%

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

$420 RON 1,985

$583 RON 2,757

-28.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,019 RON 33.2K

$8,838 RON 41.8K

-20.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 RON 248

$73.7 RON 349

-28.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.12 RON 143

$40.19 RON 190

-25.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.8 RON 269

$76.1 RON 360

-25.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.1 RON 294

$88.5 RON 419

-29.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$383 RON 1,812

$534 RON 2,528

-28.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$288 RON 1,362

$366 RON 1,731

-21.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 RON 2,772

$843 RON 3,987

-30.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 RON 2,104

$607 RON 2,872

-26.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,818 RON 8,602

$2,572 RON 12.2K

-29.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,323 RON 6,257

$1,886 RON 8,924

-29.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$621 RON 2,936

$1,147 RON 5,427

-45.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.85

6.88

-0.44%

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

Last update for Zalau: October 18, 2026

Last update for Timisoara: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Zalau

$288 33.1%

Timisoara

$366 31.6% 27.1% $78

Groceries & Markets

Zalau

$180 20.6%

Timisoara

$204 17.6% 13.3% $24

Eating Out

Zalau

$127 14.6%

Timisoara

$182 15.7% 43.2% $55

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Zalau

$112 12.9%

Timisoara

$183 15.8% 62.6% $70

Clothing & Footwear

Zalau

$91 10.4%

Timisoara

$125 10.8% 38.3% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Zalau

$44 5%

Timisoara

$55 4.8% 26.1% $11

Getting Around

Zalau

$30 3.4%

Timisoara

$43 3.7% 46.4% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $383 in Zalau and $534 in Timisoara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 85% 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: $35.00 in Zalau vs $45.00 in Timisoara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $204 per month, with Zalau cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇷🇴 Zalau

🇷🇴 Timisoara

🕒 Local time

14:36 2:36 PM

Same time as Zalau

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

56,202

319,279

💱 Currency

Romanian Leu RON lei

📈 Exchange rate

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

1 RON = 0.211 USD

1 RON = 0.188 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Zalau Timisoara 210 km

From you

Zalau
Timisoara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Zalau vs Timisoara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zalau and Timisoara differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($871 vs $1,158 including rent). Zalau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 85% lower in Timisoara. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $383 in Zalau versus $534 in Timisoara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Zalau – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $45.00 in Timisoara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $871 per month in Zalau versus $1,158 in Timisoara – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $871 in Zalau versus $1,158 in Timisoara, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zalau but tight or insufficient in Timisoara. The gap between the two cities makes Zalau 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, Zalau and Timisoara 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 Zalau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.