Cost of Living Comparison Between As-salimiyah and Cluj-Napoca Cost of Living Comparison Between As-salimiyah and Cluj-Napoca

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,460 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,111 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,107 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,848 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

As-salimiyah costs about 6% more than Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both As-salimiyah and Cluj-Napoca sit above the global median – As-salimiyah by 9%, Cluj-Napoca by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.55 KWD 2.95

$11.58 RON 52.6

-17.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 KWD 13.88

$57.8 RON 262

-22.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 KWD 2.51

$8.08 RON 36.66

0.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 KWD 1.14

Cappuccino

$6.08 KWD 1.88

$3.53 RON 16.05

72.24%

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

$0.66 KWD 0.20

$2.30 RON 10.44

-71.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$2.13 RON 9.68

-84.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 RON 14.89

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 RON 18.24

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 KWD 0.45

$1.79 RON 8.13

-19.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.90 KWD 0.28

$1.35 RON 6.12

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KWD 0.49

$1.89 RON 8.59

-15.87%

Eggs

$2.04 KWD 0.63

$3.26 RON 14.80

-37.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.01 KWD 1.55

$10.25 RON 46.52

-51.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 KWD 1.92

$7.06 RON 32.07

-12.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 KWD 3.18

$12.06 RON 54.8

-14.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.00 KWD 0.62

$1.18 RON 5.38

69.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 KWD 0.48

$1.72 RON 7.82

-9.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 KWD 0.47

$1.63 RON 7.42

-6.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

$2.42 RON 10.97

-42.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 KWD 0.39

$0.95 RON 4.32

34.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 KWD 0.27

$0.93 RON 4.24

-5.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 KWD 0.48

$1.08 RON 4.91

45.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$0.88 RON 4.01

-44.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.19 KWD 0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 KWD 0.90

$6.56 RON 29.77

-55.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.22

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 RON 5.25

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 RON 8.89

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 KWD 0.36

$0.67 RON 3.04

73.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$48.44 KWD 14.96

$22.65 RON 103

113.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 KWD 0.99

$1.00 RON 4.52

222.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.27 KWD 1.01

$0.86 RON 3.92

280.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.24 KWD 5.02

$9.43 RON 42.82

72.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$1.70 RON 7.74

-80.00%

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

$21.5K KWD 6,629

$28.5K RON 129.4K

-24.72%

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

$20.2K KWD 6,228

$26.7K RON 121.2K

-24.48%

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

$38.71 KWD 11.96

$156 RON 707

-75.14%

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

$18.69 KWD 5.77

$9.13 RON 41.44

104.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.94 KWD 8.01

$9.87 RON 44.81

162.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.0 KWD 28.72

$44.65 RON 203

108.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$66.2 KWD 20.46

$20.25 RON 91.9

227.11%

Cinema Ticket

$8.66 KWD 2.68

$8.27 RON 37.52

4.72%

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

$282 KWD 87.1

$481 RON 2,184

-41.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,710 KWD 2,073

$10.5K RON 47.6K

-36.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.25 KWD 13.05

$69.5 RON 316

-39.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.02 KWD 13.29

$40.69 RON 185

5.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 KWD 26.76

$84.5 RON 384

2.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.1 KWD 21.03

$99.9 RON 454

-31.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$943 KWD 291

$707 RON 3,208

33.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 KWD 224

$564 RON 2,561

28.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,852 KWD 572

$1,261 RON 5,726

46.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 KWD 414

$930 RON 4,224

44.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,832 RON 21.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,491 RON 15.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,747 KWD 848

$1,369 RON 6,216

100.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

5.85

22.05%

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

Last update for As-salimiyah: June 6, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $943 in As-salimiyah versus $707 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 101% higher in As-salimiyah, 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 $45.00 in As-salimiyah versus $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 vs $234 – making As-salimiyah 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

As-salimiyah vs Cluj-Napoca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – As-salimiyah is pricier by about 6%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,190 per month in As-salimiyah and $2,061 in Cluj-Napoca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,460 in As-salimiyah and $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 114% less in Cluj-Napoca. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cluj-Napoca, where all-in costs run around $1,374, than in As-salimiyah at $1,460. In Cluj-Napoca it covers expenses comfortably, while in As-salimiyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cluj-Napoca – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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