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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $912 per month in Bacau vs $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,474 per month in Bacau vs $2,123 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,037 per month in Bacau vs $2,860 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

Bacau is about 34% cheaper than Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Bacau sits 32% below the global median, while Cluj-Napoca is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 RON 52.5

$11.53 RON 52.1

0.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.83 RON 207

$58.1 RON 263

-21.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.27 RON 37.38

$8.21 RON 37.10

0.73%

Cappuccino

$2.32 RON 10.47

$3.37 RON 15.25

-31.16%

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

$2.18 RON 9.85

$2.42 RON 10.93

-9.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 RON 8.28

$2.19 RON 9.90

-16.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 RON 10.24

$3.25 RON 14.70

-30.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 RON 16.45

$3.90 RON 17.61

-6.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 RON 6.20

$1.74 RON 7.85

-21.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 RON 4.03

$1.33 RON 6.03

-33.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.75

$1.84 RON 8.31

-6.52%

Eggs

$3.79 RON 17.12

$3.24 RON 14.64

16.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 RON 37.84

$10.15 RON 45.88

-17.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.14 RON 27.73

$6.89 RON 31.15

-10.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.44 RON 42.69

$12.08 RON 54.6

-21.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.25 RON 5.66

$1.23 RON 5.57

1.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 RON 7.10

$1.73 RON 7.81

-9.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.85

$1.55 RON 7.02

12.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.70

$2.33 RON 10.51

-17.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 RON 4.09

$1.02 RON 4.60

-11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.81

$0.97 RON 4.38

-13.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 RON 3.03

$1.04 RON 4.70

-35.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.55

$0.88 RON 3.98

-10.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.69 RON 25.71

$6.53 RON 29.52

-12.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.72 RON 30.37

$7.94 RON 35.87

-15.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$1.13 RON 5.10

-22.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 RON 6.07

$2.05 RON 9.26

-34.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 RON 2.85

$0.70 RON 3.18

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.81 RON 144

$23.33 RON 105

36.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 RON 2.77

$1.00 RON 4.52

-39.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.71

$0.89 RON 4.02

-32.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.71 RON 34.85

$9.45 RON 42.70

-18.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 RON 7.14

$1.69 RON 7.63

-6.51%

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

$28.1K RON 127.1K

$28.4K RON 128.6K

-1.17%

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

$26.8K RON 121.0K

$27.1K RON 122.3K

-1.09%

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

$114 RON 516

$161 RON 730

-29.33%

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

$8.19 RON 37.03

$9.19 RON 41.52

-10.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.23 RON 23.62

$9.66 RON 43.65

-45.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.17 RON 114

$44.75 RON 202

-43.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.37 RON 106

$19.86 RON 89.8

17.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 RON 30.61

$8.25 RON 37.30

-17.94%

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

$654 RON 2,958

$491 RON 2,220

33.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,513 RON 24.9K

$10.8K RON 49.0K

-49.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.4 RON 409

$70.9 RON 320

27.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.64 RON 161

$39.43 RON 178

-9.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.4 RON 282

$84.2 RON 380

-25.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.2 RON 444

$99.5 RON 450

-1.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 RON 1,449

$692 RON 3,129

-53.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 RON 844

$550 RON 2,485

-66.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 RON 2,290

$1,244 RON 5,625

-59.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 RON 1,662

$923 RON 4,174

-60.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,893 RON 8,559

$4,494 RON 20.3K

-57.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,242 RON 5,612

$3,328 RON 15.0K

-62.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,020 RON 4,609

$1,378 RON 6,231

-26.03%

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 Bacau: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $321 in Bacau 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 35% 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 $46.00 in Bacau versus $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $232 – making Bacau 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

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

Yes – Cluj-Napoca is pricier by about 52%, 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 $1,368 per month in Bacau 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 Bacau, 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 $46.00 in Bacau 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 $912 in Bacau and $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $912, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,387. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cluj-Napoca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – 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 Bacau. 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.