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: $847 in Alexandria versus $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,408 in Alexandria versus $2,111 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,970 in Alexandria versus $2,848 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 37% below, Cluj-Napoca is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.40 RON 42.53

$11.58 RON 52.4

-18.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.16 RON 150

$57.8 RON 261

-42.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.88 RON 31.13

$8.08 RON 36.53

-14.85%

Cappuccino

$1.88 RON 8.50

$3.53 RON 15.99

-46.74%

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

$2.01 RON 9.08

$2.30 RON 10.40

-12.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RON 7.41

$2.13 RON 9.65

-23.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 RON 10.58

$3.28 RON 14.84

-28.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 RON 12.80

$4.02 RON 18.18

-29.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 RON 6.36

$1.79 RON 8.11

-21.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 RON 5.76

$1.35 RON 6.10

-5.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 RON 6.39

$1.89 RON 8.56

-25.40%

Eggs

$1.35 RON 6.08

$3.26 RON 14.75

-58.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.36 RON 24.27

$10.25 RON 46.36

-47.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.49 RON 20.33

$7.06 RON 31.96

-36.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 RON 40.23

$12.06 RON 54.6

-26.29%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.96

$1.18 RON 5.36

-25.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.20

$1.72 RON 7.80

-7.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 RON 5.27

$1.63 RON 7.39

-28.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 RON 5.29

$2.42 RON 10.93

-51.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 RON 2.18

$0.95 RON 4.30

-49.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 RON 3.19

$0.93 RON 4.23

-24.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 RON 2.17

$1.08 RON 4.89

-55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 RON 3.22

$0.88 RON 3.99

-19.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 RON 24.47

$6.56 RON 29.67

-17.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.49 RON 24.82

$7.76 RON 35.09

-29.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 RON 3.26

$1.16 RON 5.23

-37.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$1.96 RON 8.86

-55.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$0.67 RON 3.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.22 RON 105

$22.65 RON 102

2.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 RON 2.02

$1.00 RON 4.51

-55.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 RON 1.83

$0.86 RON 3.90

-52.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.01 RON 22.65

$9.43 RON 42.67

-46.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.20

$1.70 RON 7.71

-6.47%

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

$17.6K RON 79.8K

$28.5K RON 128.9K

-38.14%

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

$24.2K RON 109.4K

$26.7K RON 120.8K

-9.41%

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

$116 RON 523

$156 RON 704

-25.75%

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

$6.79 RON 30.72

$9.13 RON 41.29

-25.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.00 RON 31.66

$9.87 RON 44.65

-29.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.11 RON 172

$44.65 RON 202

-14.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.44 RON 42.70

$20.25 RON 91.6

-53.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 RON 21.27

$8.27 RON 37.39

-43.17%

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

$438 RON 1,982

$481 RON 2,176

-8.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,957 RON 31.5K

$10.5K RON 47.5K

-33.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.4 RON 310

$69.5 RON 314

-1.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.20 RON 155

$40.69 RON 184

-15.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 RON 308

$84.5 RON 382

-19.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.1 RON 308

$99.9 RON 452

-31.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 RON 1,547

$707 RON 3,196

-51.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 RON 1,027

$564 RON 2,552

-59.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 RON 3,657

$1,261 RON 5,706

-35.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 RON 2,556

$930 RON 4,209

-39.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,334 RON 6,036

$4,832 RON 21.9K

-72.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$832 RON 3,763

$3,491 RON 15.8K

-76.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,362 RON 6,162

$1,369 RON 6,194

-0.52%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $342 in Alexandria and $707 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 1% 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 $157 vs $234 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, Cluj-Napoca earns 1% 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: $342 in Alexandria versus $707 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $847 per month in Alexandria versus $1,374 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 3% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $847 in Alexandria versus $1,374 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 $847 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.