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: $1,006 in Zărnești versus $1,122 in Timisoara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,518 in Zărnești versus $1,773 in Timisoara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,029 in Zărnești versus $2,424 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 25% lower, Timisoara 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.44 RON 38.35

$9.05 RON 41.16

-6.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.89 RON 181

$58.5 RON 266

-31.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.79 RON 39.94

$8.28 RON 37.65

6.16%

Cappuccino

$2.28 RON 10.37

$3.28 RON 14.89

-30.49%

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

$1.26 RON 5.71

$2.26 RON 10.26

-44.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 RON 5.08

$2.03 RON 9.21

-44.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 RON 10.14

$2.83 RON 12.84

-21.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 RON 12.67

$3.40 RON 15.47

-17.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.36

$1.52 RON 6.90

-7.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 RON 5.37

$1.31 RON 5.94

-9.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 RON 7.18

$1.48 RON 6.73

6.76%

Eggs

$3.07 RON 13.96

$3.25 RON 14.78

-5.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.74 RON 39.72

$9.63 RON 43.77

-9.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 RON 22.66

$6.64 RON 30.16

-25.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.49 RON 56.8

$11.57 RON 52.6

7.95%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.50

$1.09 RON 4.94

-9.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 RON 6.22

$1.55 RON 7.07

-11.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.39 RON 6.33

$1.61 RON 7.33

-13.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 RON 6.35

$2.45 RON 11.15

-42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$0.73 RON 3.32

31.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 RON 4.15

$1.02 RON 4.62

-10.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 RON 3.66

$0.73 RON 3.32

9.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.58

$0.73 RON 3.32

8.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 RON 26.82

$5.76 RON 26.19

2.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 RON 35.65

$7.79 RON 35.40

0.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.69

$1.20 RON 5.43

-14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 RON 6.40

$1.68 RON 7.65

-16.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.21

$0.90 RON 4.10

-21.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.13 RON 91.5

$29.98 RON 136

-32.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 RON 4.34

$0.90 RON 4.09

6.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 RON 3.97

$0.85 RON 3.85

2.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.20 RON 32.74

$7.35 RON 33.41

-2.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.02

$1.64 RON 7.46

-6.10%

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

$27.5K RON 124.8K

$27.9K RON 126.9K

-1.61%

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

$28.3K RON 128.8K

$26.0K RON 118.4K

8.79%

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

$171 RON 779

$140 RON 634

22.79%

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

$8.33 RON 37.88

$8.54 RON 38.81

-2.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 RON 45.83

$9.01 RON 40.98

11.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.12 RON 191

$43.38 RON 197

-2.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.98 RON 86.3

$15.02 RON 68.3

26.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.59 RON 25.41

$8.29 RON 37.67

-32.57%

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

$434 RON 1,972

$506 RON 2,298

-14.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,944 RON 31.6K

$10.1K RON 46.0K

-31.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.29 RON 220

$76.7 RON 349

-37.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.48 RON 139

$42.61 RON 194

-28.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 RON 342

$82.5 RON 375

-8.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 RON 366

$96.5 RON 439

-16.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$382 RON 1,739

$497 RON 2,258

-23.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 RON 1,341

$360 RON 1,637

-18.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 RON 2,656

$729 RON 3,315

-19.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$438 RON 1,990

$586 RON 2,663

-25.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,063 RON 9,380

$2,722 RON 12.4K

-24.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,374 RON 6,246

$2,009 RON 9,131

-31.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$518 RON 2,356

$1,228 RON 5,582

-57.80%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Timisoara: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $382 in Zărnești and $497 in Timisoara. 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: $40.00 in Zărnești vs $58.0 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 ($1,006 vs $1,122 including rent). Zărnești is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Timisoara earns 137% 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: $382 in Zărnești versus $497 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 $1,006 per month in Zărnești versus $1,122 in Timisoara – 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, 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.