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: $1,007 in Zărnești versus $1,146 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: $2,030 in Zărnești versus $2,399 in Timisoara.

Living in Zărnești costs roughly 12% less than in Timisoara, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zărnești 25% lower, Timisoara 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.80 RON 40.37

$8.95 RON 41.05

-1.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.16 RON 184

$56.9 RON 261

-29.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.05 RON 41.50

$8.28 RON 37.96

9.30%

Cappuccino

$2.31 RON 10.58

$3.18 RON 14.58

-27.36%

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

$1.32 RON 6.04

$2.17 RON 9.96

-39.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 RON 5.26

$2.01 RON 9.23

-42.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.21 RON 10.15

$2.69 RON 12.34

-17.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 RON 13.01

$3.46 RON 15.88

-17.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 RON 6.18

$1.54 RON 7.08

-12.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 RON 5.39

$1.32 RON 6.06

-11.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.48

$1.46 RON 6.69

11.64%

Eggs

$2.93 RON 13.43

$3.25 RON 14.92

-9.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 RON 40.75

$9.21 RON 42.23

-3.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.15 RON 23.62

$6.44 RON 29.51

-20.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.34 RON 56.6

$11.30 RON 51.8

9.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.71

$1.08 RON 4.95

-4.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.19

$1.56 RON 7.14

-13.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 RON 6.46

$1.61 RON 7.37

-12.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 RON 6.23

$2.58 RON 11.82

-47.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 RON 4.09

$0.79 RON 3.61

12.66%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.22

$0.98 RON 4.51

-6.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 RON 3.36

$0.72 RON 3.31

1.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.59

$0.77 RON 3.55

1.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.65 RON 25.91

$6.04 RON 27.69

-6.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 RON 34.03

$7.56 RON 34.68

-1.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 RON 4.96

$1.25 RON 5.72

-13.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 RON 6.21

$1.66 RON 7.62

-18.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 RON 3.03

$0.94 RON 4.32

-29.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.98 RON 91.6

$29.81 RON 137

-32.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.85 RON 3.92

11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 RON 3.76

$0.84 RON 3.87

-2.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.56 RON 34.68

$7.45 RON 34.14

1.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.36

$1.59 RON 7.30

0.63%

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

$28.4K RON 130.2K

$28.2K RON 129.3K

0.69%

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

$27.6K RON 126.4K

$26.7K RON 122.5K

3.16%

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

$169 RON 773

$137 RON 628

23.07%

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

$7.92 RON 36.33

$8.51 RON 39.00

-6.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.90 RON 45.39

$9.15 RON 41.95

8.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.70 RON 191

$43.88 RON 201

-4.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.16 RON 87.8

$15.22 RON 69.8

25.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.68 RON 26.04

$7.85 RON 36.00

-27.64%

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

$422 RON 1,935

$501 RON 2,295

-15.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,960 RON 31.9K

$10.1K RON 46.5K

-31.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.29 RON 221

$76.4 RON 350

-36.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.50 RON 140

$43.15 RON 198

-29.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.1 RON 335

$81.5 RON 373

-10.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.8 RON 366

$94.5 RON 433

-15.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 RON 1,769

$488 RON 2,239

-21.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$285 RON 1,308

$353 RON 1,621

-19.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$594 RON 2,723

$730 RON 3,347

-18.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 RON 2,017

$605 RON 2,773

-27.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,728 RON 7,924

$2,609 RON 12.0K

-33.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,427 RON 6,543

$1,969 RON 9,030

-27.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$525 RON 2,408

$1,215 RON 5,573

-56.79%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Timisoara: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Zărnești and $488 in Timisoara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Timisoara pays 131% 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 $57.0 in Timisoara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $216 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 14% in total monthly costs ($1,007 vs $1,146 including rent). Zărnești is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 131% 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: $386 in Zărnești versus $488 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 $57.0 in Timisoara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,007 per month in Zărnești versus $1,146 in Timisoara – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,007 in Zărnești versus $1,146 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 14% less than in Timisoara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.