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 $878 per month in Arad vs $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,385 per month in Arad vs $2,148 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,893 per month in Arad vs $2,886 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

Arad is about 38% cheaper than Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Arad sits 34% below the global median, while Cluj-Napoca is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.18 RON 42.09

$11.41 RON 52.3

-19.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.99 RON 156

$57.8 RON 265

-41.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 RON 31.36

$8.14 RON 37.32

-15.97%

Cappuccino

$2.27 RON 10.41

$3.39 RON 15.53

-33.04%

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

$1.56 RON 7.18

$2.35 RON 10.77

-33.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 RON 8.04

$2.11 RON 9.66

-17.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 RON 9.56

$3.26 RON 14.97

-35.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 RON 12.39

$4.02 RON 18.45

-32.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 RON 6.89

$1.79 RON 8.22

-16.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.60

$1.35 RON 6.18

-9.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 RON 7.05

$1.86 RON 8.55

-17.20%

Eggs

$2.94 RON 13.49

$3.35 RON 15.37

-12.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.87 RON 36.10

$9.69 RON 44.43

-18.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 RON 19.81

$7.06 RON 32.37

-38.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 RON 40.26

$11.93 RON 54.7

-26.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.21 RON 5.53

$1.24 RON 5.71

-2.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.31

$1.72 RON 7.90

-7.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.92

$1.64 RON 7.51

5.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 RON 7.77

$2.37 RON 10.89

-28.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 RON 3.54

$0.95 RON 4.35

-18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.99

$0.93 RON 4.25

-6.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 RON 4.84

$1.09 RON 4.98

-2.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.97

$0.90 RON 4.12

-4.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.74 RON 26.31

$6.30 RON 28.91

-8.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.29 RON 24.26

$7.65 RON 35.07

-30.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.74

$1.17 RON 5.37

-11.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 RON 7.53

$2.03 RON 9.32

-19.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$0.71 RON 3.24

28.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.47 RON 108

$23.37 RON 107

0.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 RON 4.13

$0.95 RON 4.34

-5.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 RON 3.97

$0.81 RON 3.72

7.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.34 RON 42.85

$9.56 RON 43.82

-2.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.19

$1.63 RON 7.46

-3.68%

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

$28.4K RON 130.4K

$27.6K RON 126.6K

3.03%

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

$26.8K RON 122.8K

$27.1K RON 124.2K

-1.19%

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

$108 RON 497

$160 RON 733

-32.22%

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

$8.55 RON 39.21

$9.06 RON 41.56

-5.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.65 RON 35.07

$10.14 RON 46.49

-24.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.59 RON 177

$44.86 RON 206

-13.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.10 RON 106

$19.93 RON 91.4

15.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 RON 26.56

$7.93 RON 36.38

-26.99%

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

$227 RON 1,040

$475 RON 2,178

-52.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,930 RON 31.8K

$10.8K RON 49.3K

-35.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.65 RON 182

$70.0 RON 321

-43.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.74 RON 178

$39.45 RON 181

-1.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 RON 370

$86.4 RON 396

-6.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.1 RON 321

$100 RON 460

-30.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 RON 1,455

$714 RON 3,275

-55.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 RON 989

$559 RON 2,563

-61.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 RON 2,592

$1,244 RON 5,704

-54.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 RON 2,002

$943 RON 4,324

-53.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,456 RON 6,679

$4,645 RON 21.3K

-68.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,105 RON 5,070

$3,395 RON 15.6K

-67.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$847 RON 3,886

$1,314 RON 6,026

-35.52%

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 Arad: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $317 in Arad versus $714 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 55% 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 $34.00 in Arad versus $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 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 61% 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 $1,316 per month in Arad and $2,115 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 $34.00 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 $878 in Arad and $1,410 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 $878, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,410. 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 $878 versus $1,410 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.