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

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

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

Living in Zărnești costs roughly 10% less than in Timisoara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.74 RON 37.95

$9.10 RON 39.51

-3.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.98 RON 174

$58.1 RON 252

-31.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.04 RON 39.23

$7.94 RON 34.48

13.85%

Cappuccino

$2.20 RON 9.56

$3.27 RON 14.19

-32.72%

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

$1.32 RON 5.73

$2.16 RON 9.38

-38.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 RON 4.95

$2.02 RON 8.76

-43.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 RON 9.65

$2.70 RON 11.71

-17.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 RON 11.91

$3.39 RON 14.70

-19.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.08

$1.54 RON 6.67

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 RON 4.84

$1.27 RON 5.53

-11.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.14

$1.51 RON 6.57

9.27%

Eggs

$3.05 RON 13.25

$3.30 RON 14.30

-7.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 RON 37.25

$9.27 RON 40.23

-7.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 RON 22.61

$6.45 RON 27.99

-19.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.67 RON 55.0

$11.32 RON 49.15

11.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.46

$1.14 RON 4.94

-9.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 RON 5.94

$1.49 RON 6.47

-8.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 RON 5.86

$1.56 RON 6.76

-13.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 RON 6.14

$2.58 RON 11.21

-44.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.17

$0.77 RON 3.35

24.68%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 RON 3.97

$1.01 RON 4.40

-9.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 RON 3.41

$0.71 RON 3.08

9.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.23

$0.80 RON 3.46

-7.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.66 RON 24.57

$6.05 RON 26.26

-6.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.87 RON 34.18

$8.00 RON 34.73

-1.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.46

$1.26 RON 5.47

-18.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 RON 5.84

$1.73 RON 7.51

-21.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.07

$0.90 RON 3.92

-21.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.64 RON 85.2

$29.95 RON 130

-34.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.16

$0.83 RON 3.62

15.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.89 RON 3.85

$0.81 RON 3.50

9.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.40 RON 32.14

$7.46 RON 32.40

-0.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.66

$1.63 RON 7.09

-6.13%

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

$28.3K RON 122.7K

$28.3K RON 123.0K

-0.26%

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

$28.5K RON 123.7K

$26.0K RON 112.7K

9.81%

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

$173 RON 752

$137 RON 595

26.33%

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

$7.88 RON 34.20

$8.42 RON 36.55

-6.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.12 RON 43.91

$9.13 RON 39.62

10.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.98 RON 178

$43.55 RON 189

-5.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.46 RON 84.4

$15.10 RON 65.5

28.87%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 RON 24.29

$8.04 RON 34.91

-30.35%

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

$424 RON 1,841

$495 RON 2,150

-14.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,918 RON 30.0K

$10.3K RON 44.6K

-32.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.26 RON 214

$77.5 RON 336

-36.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.56 RON 128

$42.14 RON 183

-29.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 RON 317

$84.1 RON 365

-13.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 RON 356

$96.4 RON 419

-14.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$395 RON 1,716

$498 RON 2,161

-20.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 RON 1,278

$350 RON 1,521

-15.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 RON 2,554

$720 RON 3,124

-18.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 RON 1,935

$585 RON 2,539

-23.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,558 RON 6,762

$2,741 RON 11.9K

-43.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,409 RON 6,115

$1,923 RON 8,347

-26.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$545 RON 2,364

$1,305 RON 5,663

-58.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.17

6.66

22.67%

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

Last update for Zărnești: April 20, 2026

Last update for Timisoara: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $395 in Zărnești and $498 in Timisoara. 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: $40 in Zărnești vs $58 in Timisoara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $200 vs $218 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 12% in total monthly costs ($1,021 vs $1,140 including rent). Zărnești is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Timisoara earns 140% less. 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: $395 in Zărnești versus $498 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 $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 $1,021 per month in Zărnești versus $1,140 in Timisoara – 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, 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 12% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.