Property Taxes Rise by 90% in Baia Mare - Major Impact on Seniors with Small Pensions

Authorities in Baia Mare have announced a dramatic increase in residential property taxes for 2026, which will particularly affect pensioners on low incomes in the city. The rises reach up to 90%, representing a significant financial burden for older residents who depend on fixed incomes.

According to the new calculations, a flat of over 50 square metres will incur a tax bill of 540 RON in 2026, compared with 259 RON in 2025. For a larger flat of 78 square metres, the tax will rise from 439 RON to 833 RON — nearly doubling.

Disproportionate impact on pensioners

This substantial increase in property taxes will hit older residents particularly hard, as they typically live in larger flats that were inherited or purchased when prices were more affordable. Pensioners, with their fixed and limited incomes, will be forced to allocate an ever-greater share of their pension to cover these charges.

The Mayor of Baia Mare explained that these rises are not a decision of the local administration, but rather the result of legislative changes imposed by the Government and an inflation-linked adjustment of 5.6%. Local authorities maintain they were obliged to implement these increases to avoid the risk of losing their budget allocations.

Outlook for the coming years

The situation will become yet more complicated from 2027 onwards, when the taxation system will shift to one based on the market value of properties, in line with commitments made under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). This change could generate even steeper tax increases, severely straining pensioners' budgets.

For older residents of Baia Mare, these changes mean a significant reduction in purchasing power and the need for a drastic overhaul of monthly expenditure — at a time when healthcare and care costs are already on the rise.