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 $1,454 per month in As-salimiyah vs $1,373 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,323 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,113 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,192 per month in As-salimiyah vs $2,854 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 3%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
As-salimiyah
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.73 KWD 2.99
$11.30 RON 51.8
-13.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.05 KWD 13.55
$56.6 RON 260
-22.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.26 KWD 2.54
$8.21 RON 37.65
0.61%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.40 KWD 0.74
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.64 KWD 1.12
-
-
Cappuccino
$5.82 KWD 1.79
$3.47 RON 15.91
67.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.63 KWD 0.19
$2.43 RON 11.14
-74.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 KWD 0.11
$2.22 RON 10.20
-84.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.15 RON 14.45
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.86 RON 17.71
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
As-salimiyah
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 KWD 0.45
$1.80 RON 8.23
-18.89%
White Bread (500g)
$0.88 KWD 0.27
$1.30 RON 5.96
-32.31%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.66 KWD 0.51
$1.82 RON 8.32
-8.79%
Eggs
$2.01 KWD 0.62
$3.37 RON 15.45
-40.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.80 KWD 1.48
$10.00 RON 45.87
-52.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.25 KWD 1.92
$7.11 RON 32.61
-12.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.18 KWD 3.13
$11.81 RON 54.2
-13.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.01 KWD 0.62
$1.19 RON 5.48
68.91%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 KWD 0.48
$1.78 RON 8.18
-12.92%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.51 KWD 0.47
$1.62 RON 7.42
-6.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.41 KWD 0.43
$2.37 RON 10.87
-40.51%
Potato (1kg)
$1.28 KWD 0.39
$1.02 RON 4.66
25.49%
Onion (1kg)
$0.94 KWD 0.29
$0.98 RON 4.51
-4.08%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.58 KWD 0.49
$1.09 RON 4.98
44.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 KWD 0.15
$0.94 RON 4.31
-48.94%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$3.25 KWD 1.00
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.06 KWD 0.32
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 KWD 0.41
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.98 KWD 0.92
$6.43 RON 29.47
-53.65%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$7.79 RON 35.73
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.17 RON 5.36
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.01 RON 9.24
-
🚌 Getting Around
As-salimiyah
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.12 KWD 0.34
$0.71 RON 3.25
57.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$49.72 KWD 15.30
$23.40 RON 107
112.48%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.24 KWD 1.00
$1.01 RON 4.63
220.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.17 KWD 0.97
$0.83 RON 3.81
281.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.41 KWD 5.05
$9.57 RON 43.89
71.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.32 KWD 0.10
$1.66 RON 7.60
-80.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K KWD 6,524
$28.1K RON 128.8K
-24.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.9K KWD 6,136
$26.1K RON 119.5K
-23.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
As-salimiyah
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$38.57 KWD 11.87
$161 RON 739
-76.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.85 KWD 5.80
$8.89 RON 40.76
112.04%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.22 KWD 8.07
$10.08 RON 46.22
160.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
As-salimiyah
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$92.3 KWD 28.41
$43.69 RON 200
111.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$65.4 KWD 20.14
$19.88 RON 91.1
229.18%
Cinema Ticket
$8.33 KWD 2.56
$8.25 RON 37.82
0.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
As-salimiyah
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$283 KWD 87.1
$476 RON 2,180
-40.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,654 KWD 2,047
$10.9K RON 49.8K
-38.70%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
As-salimiyah
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.93 KWD 13.21
$70.7 RON 324
-39.24%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.59 KWD 13.11
$40.96 RON 188
3.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.1 KWD 27.41
$86.0 RON 394
3.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$68.8 KWD 21.15
$101 RON 462
-31.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
As-salimiyah
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 KWD 291
$710 RON 3,255
33.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$720 KWD 221
$549 RON 2,518
31.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,820 KWD 560
$1,251 RON 5,737
45.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,340 KWD 412
$928 RON 4,256
44.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,801 RON 22.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$3,422 RON 15.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
As-salimiyah
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,770 KWD 852
$1,359 RON 6,232
103.82%
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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in As-salimiyah versus $710 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 104% 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 $44.00 in As-salimiyah versus $57.0 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
Is Cluj-Napoca cheaper than As-salimiyah?
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.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,181 per month in As-salimiyah and $2,059 in Cluj-Napoca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in As-salimiyah and in Cluj-Napoca?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,454 in As-salimiyah and $1,373 in Cluj-Napoca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 112% less in Cluj-Napoca. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in As-salimiyah or in Cluj-Napoca?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cluj-Napoca, where all-in costs run around $1,373, than in As-salimiyah at $1,454. In Cluj-Napoca it covers expenses comfortably, while in As-salimiyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is As-salimiyah or Cluj-Napoca more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, As-salimiyah or Cluj-Napoca?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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