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 $988 per month in Bacau vs $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,668 per month in Bacau vs $2,234 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,348 per month in Bacau vs $2,972 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

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

Bacau sits 28% below the global median, while Cluj-Napoca is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.21 RON 55.1

$13.28 RON 59.9

-8.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.8 RON 401

$57.0 RON 257

55.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 RON 38.89

$10.13 RON 45.72

-15.00%

Cappuccino

$2.04 RON 9.22

$3.92 RON 17.68

-47.96%

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

$2.05 RON 9.24

$2.54 RON 11.46

-19.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 RON 8.67

$2.39 RON 10.79

-19.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.69 RON 12.15

$3.24 RON 14.62

-16.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 RON 15.13

$4.36 RON 19.71

-23.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.48

$1.74 RON 7.85

-4.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 RON 5.60

$1.57 RON 7.07

-21.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.32

$1.90 RON 8.59

-14.74%

Eggs

$3.28 RON 14.79

$3.99 RON 18.03

-17.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.30 RON 37.49

$9.70 RON 43.79

-14.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.70 RON 25.73

$7.75 RON 34.98

-26.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.72 RON 43.87

$12.36 RON 55.8

-21.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 RON 5.42

$1.51 RON 6.83

-20.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.83

$1.81 RON 8.16

-16.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 RON 6.82

$2.01 RON 9.09

-24.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 RON 9.53

$2.63 RON 11.88

-19.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$1.00 RON 4.54

-30.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 RON 3.11

$1.00 RON 4.53

-31.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 RON 3.23

$0.98 RON 4.42

-26.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.59

$1.07 RON 4.82

-26.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.51 RON 24.86

$6.74 RON 30.41

-18.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 RON 29.07

$7.76 RON 35.04

-17.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.66

$1.29 RON 5.81

-20.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 RON 6.67

$1.80 RON 8.13

-17.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$0.78 RON 3.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.36 RON 142

$31.80 RON 144

-1.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 RON 2.89

$0.97 RON 4.38

-34.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 RON 3.04

$1.01 RON 4.57

-33.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 RON 29.24

$9.00 RON 40.65

-28.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 RON 8.58

$1.91 RON 8.64

-0.52%

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

$29.8K RON 134.5K

$30.2K RON 136.3K

-1.29%

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

$26.0K RON 117.5K

$26.4K RON 119.2K

-1.45%

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

$111 RON 503

$168 RON 756

-33.47%

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

$11.43 RON 51.6

$8.78 RON 39.66

30.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.10 RON 23.03

$10.41 RON 46.98

-51.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.34 RON 123

$48.20 RON 218

-43.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.90 RON 76.3

$23.92 RON 108

-29.35%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 RON 40.03

$10.15 RON 45.82

-12.61%

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

$422 RON 1,906

$613 RON 2,769

-31.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,096 RON 27.5K

$10.1K RON 45.6K

-39.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 RON 341

$92.4 RON 417

-18.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.12 RON 204

$47.93 RON 216

-5.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.6 RON 436

$105 RON 473

-7.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 RON 451

$112 RON 508

-11.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$418 RON 1,887

$665 RON 3,002

-37.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 RON 1,141

$548 RON 2,473

-53.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 RON 2,594

$1,212 RON 5,473

-52.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 RON 1,885

$858 RON 3,876

-51.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,907 RON 8,610

$4,765 RON 21.5K

-59.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,253 RON 5,658

$3,587 RON 16.2K

-65.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,010 RON 4,560

$1,365 RON 6,163

-26.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.97

6.8

2.50%

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

Last update for Bacau: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $418 in Bacau versus $665 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 $89.0 in Bacau versus $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Groceries tell a different story – $200 in Bacau vs $248 in Cluj-Napoca – so Bacau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 51%, 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 $1,482 per month in Bacau and $2,246 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 $89.0 in Bacau and $57.0 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 $988 in Bacau and $1,497 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 $988, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,497. 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.