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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $957 in Zărnești versus $1,237 in Timisoara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,480 in Zărnești versus $1,867 in Timisoara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,003 in Zărnești versus $2,498 in Timisoara.

Living in Zărnești costs roughly 23% less than in Timisoara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zărnești 30% lower, Timisoara 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.10 RON 41.08

$11.18 RON 50.5

-18.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.58 RON 201

$48.24 RON 218

-7.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.83 RON 39.86

$9.10 RON 41.08

-2.97%

Cappuccino

$2.32 RON 10.50

$3.19 RON 14.39

-27.27%

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

$1.54 RON 6.95

$2.16 RON 9.74

-28.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 RON 5.68

$1.68 RON 7.60

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.00 RON 9.04

$2.72 RON 12.28

-26.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 RON 11.07

$4.46 RON 20.13

-45.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 RON 5.85

$1.48 RON 6.66

-12.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 RON 5.08

$1.30 RON 5.87

-13.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 RON 6.69

$1.41 RON 6.34

4.96%

Eggs

$2.98 RON 13.43

$2.97 RON 13.43

0.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.42 RON 38.02

$9.16 RON 41.36

-8.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 RON 22.41

$6.51 RON 29.41

-23.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.64 RON 48.04

$11.78 RON 53.2

-9.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.55

$1.27 RON 5.71

-20.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.02

$1.58 RON 7.11

-15.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 RON 5.89

$1.55 RON 6.99

-15.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 RON 5.95

$2.47 RON 11.14

-46.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.61

$0.84 RON 3.77

-4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 RON 2.40

$1.03 RON 4.66

-48.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 RON 4.07

$0.68 RON 3.09

32.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.34

$0.77 RON 3.50

-3.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 RON 25.23

$6.48 RON 29.27

-13.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.82 RON 35.32

$7.70 RON 34.77

1.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 RON 4.94

$1.20 RON 5.44

-9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 RON 6.12

$1.79 RON 8.07

-24.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 RON 3.30

$1.09 RON 4.92

-33.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.44 RON 101

$35.43 RON 160

-36.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 RON 4.20

$0.91 RON 4.11

2.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$0.91 RON 4.12

-6.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 RON 35.03

$8.59 RON 38.77

-9.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 RON 6.80

$1.89 RON 8.54

-20.11%

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

$29.5K RON 133.0K

$30.2K RON 136.2K

-2.38%

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

$27.2K RON 122.7K

$25.5K RON 115.3K

6.34%

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

$106 RON 481

$180 RON 811

-40.71%

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

$9.87 RON 44.57

$6.91 RON 31.20

42.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.57 RON 38.68

$8.78 RON 39.65

-2.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.96 RON 180

$41.17 RON 186

-2.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.97 RON 99.2

$16.78 RON 75.8

30.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.72 RON 30.33

$9.04 RON 40.82

-25.66%

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

$454 RON 2,051

$623 RON 2,814

-27.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,146 RON 36.8K

$9,138 RON 41.3K

-10.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.24 RON 209

$77.3 RON 349

-40.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.75 RON 130

$42.17 RON 190

-31.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 RON 320

$80.3 RON 363

-11.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 RON 365

$93.8 RON 424

-13.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$397 RON 1,792

$571 RON 2,578

-30.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 RON 1,410

$373 RON 1,682

-16.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$651 RON 2,939

$856 RON 3,866

-23.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$534 RON 2,411

$647 RON 2,922

-17.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,993 RON 9,000

$2,646 RON 11.9K

-24.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,386 RON 6,258

$1,930 RON 8,713

-28.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$526 RON 2,375

$1,222 RON 5,518

-56.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.47

6.88

8.58%

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

Last update for Zărnești: September 7, 2026

Last update for Timisoara: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Zărnești and $571 in Timisoara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 128% 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: $44.00 in Zărnești vs $48.00 in Timisoara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $217 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

Zărnești vs Timisoara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zărnești and Timisoara differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($957 vs $1,237 including rent). Zărnești is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 128% 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: $407 in Zărnești versus $571 in Timisoara. 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 $44.00 versus $48.00 in Timisoara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $957 per month in Zărnești versus $1,237 in Timisoara – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $957 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, Zărnești 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 Zărnești gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.