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: $922 in Alexandria versus $1,496 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,394 in Alexandria versus $2,270 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,865 in Alexandria versus $3,043 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Alexandria costs roughly 38% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Alexandria is 33% below, Cluj-Napoca is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.81 RON 39.59

$12.96 RON 58.2

-32.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.64 RON 142

$57.3 RON 257

-44.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 RON 35.61

$9.71 RON 43.61

-18.33%

Cappuccino

$1.74 RON 7.80

$3.72 RON 16.71

-53.23%

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

$1.92 RON 8.62

$2.60 RON 11.70

-26.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 RON 7.06

$2.48 RON 11.13

-36.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 RON 9.63

$3.26 RON 14.65

-34.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 RON 11.99

$4.29 RON 19.25

-37.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 RON 6.21

$1.74 RON 7.81

-20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 RON 4.04

$1.46 RON 6.57

-38.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 RON 5.41

$1.84 RON 8.28

-34.78%

Eggs

$2.31 RON 10.37

$3.74 RON 16.78

-38.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.23 RON 23.51

$9.89 RON 44.41

-47.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.71 RON 21.15

$7.61 RON 34.17

-38.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.42 RON 37.80

$12.25 RON 55.0

-31.27%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.30

$1.46 RON 6.56

-34.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 RON 5.50

$1.81 RON 8.14

-32.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 RON 4.51

$1.89 RON 8.47

-47.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.95 RON 4.25

$2.61 RON 11.71

-63.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 RON 3.32

$1.01 RON 4.53

-26.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 RON 3.10

$1.02 RON 4.60

-32.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 RON 3.54

$1.02 RON 4.58

-22.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.08

$1.06 RON 4.75

-14.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 RON 24.84

$6.43 RON 28.88

-14.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.56 RON 24.96

$7.49 RON 33.63

-25.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 RON 4.36

$1.28 RON 5.77

-24.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 RON 5.03

$1.84 RON 8.26

-39.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 RON 2.83

$0.81 RON 3.62

-22.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.40 RON 195

$32.23 RON 145

34.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 RON 1.92

$0.98 RON 4.40

-56.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 RON 1.89

$0.96 RON 4.33

-56.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 RON 25.90

$9.12 RON 40.95

-36.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 RON 7.59

$1.90 RON 8.54

-11.05%

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

$16.8K RON 75.4K

$29.7K RON 133.3K

-43.45%

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

$24.4K RON 109.8K

$26.3K RON 118.2K

-7.13%

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

$120 RON 537

$174 RON 781

-31.20%

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

$5.48 RON 24.60

$8.39 RON 37.70

-34.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.00 RON 35.95

$9.90 RON 44.45

-19.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 RON 275

$47.91 RON 215

27.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.50 RON 119

$23.35 RON 105

13.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 RON 28.84

$9.72 RON 43.67

-33.95%

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

$335 RON 1,503

$624 RON 2,802

-46.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,054 RON 31.7K

$10.2K RON 46.0K

-31.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.0 RON 251

$91.9 RON 413

-39.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.74 RON 102

$48.30 RON 217

-52.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.1 RON 293

$103 RON 464

-36.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.4 RON 298

$114 RON 511

-41.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$336 RON 1,510

$674 RON 3,026

-50.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 RON 1,132

$571 RON 2,566

-55.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 RON 2,756

$1,190 RON 5,344

-48.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 RON 2,016

$911 RON 4,092

-50.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,319 RON 5,923

$4,884 RON 21.9K

-73.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$813 RON 3,651

$3,517 RON 15.8K

-76.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$880 RON 3,954

$1,349 RON 6,061

-34.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.73

6.8

-1.03%

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

Last update for Alexandria: August 16, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $336 in Alexandria and $674 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 53% 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: $32.00 in Alexandria vs $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $158 vs $244 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 62% 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, salaries run 53% lower in Cluj-Napoca. 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: $336 in Alexandria versus $674 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $922 per month in Alexandria versus $1,496 in Cluj-Napoca – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alexandria runs roughly 35% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $922 in Alexandria versus $1,496 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 $922 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 62% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.