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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $884 per month in Arad vs $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,394 per month in Arad vs $2,123 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,904 per month in Arad vs $2,860 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

Arad is about 36% cheaper than Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Arad sits 34% below the global median, while Cluj-Napoca is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.32 RON 42.13

$11.53 RON 52.1

-19.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.02 RON 158

$58.1 RON 263

-39.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 RON 31.82

$8.21 RON 37.10

-14.25%

Cappuccino

$2.30 RON 10.41

$3.37 RON 15.25

-31.75%

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

$1.64 RON 7.39

$2.42 RON 10.93

-32.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 RON 8.03

$2.19 RON 9.90

-18.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 RON 9.21

$3.25 RON 14.70

-37.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 RON 12.54

$3.90 RON 17.61

-28.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.86

$1.74 RON 7.85

-12.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 RON 5.69

$1.33 RON 6.03

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.87

$1.84 RON 8.31

-17.39%

Eggs

$2.92 RON 13.22

$3.24 RON 14.64

-9.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.11 RON 36.64

$10.15 RON 45.88

-20.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 RON 19.36

$6.89 RON 31.15

-37.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.65 RON 39.08

$12.08 RON 54.6

-28.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.33

$1.23 RON 5.57

-4.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.86

$1.73 RON 7.81

-12.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 RON 7.46

$1.55 RON 7.02

6.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.50

$2.33 RON 10.51

-28.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.62

$1.02 RON 4.60

-21.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 RON 4.13

$0.97 RON 4.38

-6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 RON 4.60

$1.04 RON 4.70

-1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RON 4.18

$0.88 RON 3.98

4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 RON 26.38

$6.53 RON 29.52

-10.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.23 RON 28.14

$7.94 RON 35.87

-21.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 RON 4.49

$1.13 RON 5.10

-12.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 RON 7.19

$2.05 RON 9.26

-22.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 RON 4.30

$0.70 RON 3.18

35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.51 RON 106

$23.33 RON 105

0.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 RON 3.86

$1.00 RON 4.52

-15.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 RON 3.92

$0.89 RON 4.02

-2.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.98 RON 40.57

$9.45 RON 42.70

-4.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.07

$1.69 RON 7.63

-7.10%

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

$28.1K RON 127.0K

$28.4K RON 128.6K

-1.23%

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

$26.6K RON 120.3K

$27.1K RON 122.3K

-1.66%

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

$111 RON 504

$161 RON 730

-30.95%

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

$8.40 RON 37.98

$9.19 RON 41.52

-8.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.84 RON 35.46

$9.66 RON 43.65

-18.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.80 RON 175

$44.75 RON 202

-13.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.06 RON 104

$19.86 RON 89.8

16.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.67 RON 25.62

$8.25 RON 37.30

-31.27%

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

$228 RON 1,032

$491 RON 2,220

-53.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,887 RON 31.1K

$10.8K RON 49.0K

-36.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.72 RON 184

$70.9 RON 320

-42.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.66 RON 175

$39.43 RON 178

-1.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 RON 361

$84.2 RON 380

-5.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.5 RON 314

$99.5 RON 450

-30.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 RON 1,445

$692 RON 3,129

-53.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 RON 1,000

$550 RON 2,485

-59.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$564 RON 2,550

$1,244 RON 5,625

-54.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 RON 1,938

$923 RON 4,174

-53.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,484 RON 6,706

$4,494 RON 20.3K

-66.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,097 RON 4,958

$3,328 RON 15.0K

-67.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$882 RON 3,986

$1,378 RON 6,231

-36.03%

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 Arad: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $320 in Arad versus $692 in Cluj-Napoca. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 56% higher in Cluj-Napoca, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Arad versus $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $187 vs $232 – making Arad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Cluj-Napoca costs about 57% more than Arad, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,326 per month in Arad and $2,080 in Cluj-Napoca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Arad and $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $884 in Arad and $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arad, where all-in costs run around $884, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,387. In Arad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cluj-Napoca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arad costs $884 versus $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cluj-Napoca makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.