Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Cluj-Napoca Cost of Living Comparison Between Alexandria and Cluj-Napoca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $836 in Alexandria versus $1,375 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,383 in Alexandria versus $2,092 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,929 in Alexandria versus $2,808 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Alexandria costs roughly 39% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Alexandria is 38% below, Cluj-Napoca is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.31 RON 40.59

$11.48 RON 50.1

-18.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.78 RON 143

$57.9 RON 253

-43.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 RON 29.36

$8.25 RON 35.98

-18.42%

Cappuccino

$1.86 RON 8.10

$3.53 RON 15.40

-47.31%

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

$1.98 RON 8.62

$2.33 RON 10.16

-15.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.21

$2.22 RON 9.67

-25.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 RON 10.15

$3.19 RON 13.92

-26.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 RON 11.86

$3.90 RON 16.98

-30.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RON 5.86

$1.72 RON 7.52

-22.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 RON 5.55

$1.31 RON 5.70

-3.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.35 RON 5.88

$1.89 RON 8.26

-28.57%

Eggs

$1.40 RON 6.08

$3.23 RON 14.10

-56.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.22 RON 22.74

$9.79 RON 42.69

-46.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.55 RON 19.84

$7.15 RON 31.19

-36.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 RON 37.67

$11.97 RON 52.2

-27.82%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.20

$1.23 RON 5.37

-21.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 6.91

$1.77 RON 7.72

-10.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.13

$1.62 RON 7.07

-27.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 RON 4.89

$2.37 RON 10.34

-52.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 RON 1.96

$0.97 RON 4.21

-53.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 RON 2.87

$0.93 RON 4.06

-29.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.45 RON 1.96

$1.04 RON 4.52

-56.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 RON 2.87

$0.87 RON 3.78

-24.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.68 RON 24.77

$6.51 RON 28.40

-12.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 RON 24.91

$7.79 RON 33.97

-26.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 RON 2.87

$1.17 RON 5.08

-43.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.15

$1.96 RON 8.53

-51.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 RON 2.87

$0.67 RON 2.93

-1.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 RON 100

$23.34 RON 102

-1.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 RON 2.07

$1.00 RON 4.36

-53.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 RON 1.88

$0.82 RON 3.57

-47.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 RON 22.64

$9.52 RON 41.50

-45.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.15

$1.64 RON 7.14

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

$17.5K RON 76.5K

$28.3K RON 123.5K

-38.07%

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

$23.7K RON 103.3K

$26.9K RON 117.1K

-11.79%

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

$118 RON 513

$158 RON 688

-25.39%

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

$6.76 RON 29.49

$8.92 RON 38.87

-24.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.84 RON 29.83

$10.05 RON 43.81

-31.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.37 RON 167

$43.60 RON 190

-12.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.32 RON 40.62

$20.27 RON 88.4

-54.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 RON 20.60

$7.93 RON 34.56

-40.48%

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

$437 RON 1,904

$490 RON 2,136

-10.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,929 RON 30.2K

$10.5K RON 45.8K

-34.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 RON 297

$70.7 RON 308

-3.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.32 RON 150

$40.62 RON 177

-15.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.3 RON 307

$85.1 RON 371

-17.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.9 RON 296

$99.6 RON 434

-31.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 RON 1,499

$719 RON 3,135

-52.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$231 RON 1,008

$558 RON 2,432

-58.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 RON 3,464

$1,274 RON 5,554

-37.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 RON 2,534

$951 RON 4,144

-38.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,381 RON 6,019

$4,661 RON 20.3K

-70.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$875 RON 3,813

$3,361 RON 14.7K

-73.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,349 RON 5,880

$1,415 RON 6,171

-4.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

5.85

11.11%

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

Last update for Alexandria: April 26, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $344 in Alexandria and $719 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 5% 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: $33.00 in Alexandria vs $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $155 vs $232 per month, with Alexandria 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

Alexandria vs Cluj-Napoca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alexandria wins on cost – living expenses run 64% lower than in Cluj-Napoca. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Alexandria the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Cluj-Napoca earns 5% 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: $344 in Alexandria versus $719 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $836 per month in Alexandria versus $1,375 in Cluj-Napoca – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 2% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $836 in Alexandria versus $1,375 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Alexandria but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Alexandria the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Alexandria delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $836 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Alexandria hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Alexandria and Cluj-Napoca 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 Alexandria gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.