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 $905 per month in Bacau vs $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,462 per month in Bacau vs $2,148 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,019 per month in Bacau vs $2,886 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

Bacau is about 36% cheaper than Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Bacau sits 32% below the global median, while Cluj-Napoca is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.74 RON 53.8

$11.41 RON 52.3

2.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.80 RON 210

$57.8 RON 265

-20.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 RON 37.40

$8.14 RON 37.32

0.25%

Cappuccino

$2.30 RON 10.55

$3.39 RON 15.53

-32.15%

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

$2.20 RON 10.11

$2.35 RON 10.77

-6.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.51

$2.11 RON 9.66

-11.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 RON 10.64

$3.26 RON 14.97

-28.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 RON 16.26

$4.02 RON 18.45

-11.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RON 6.16

$1.79 RON 8.22

-25.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 RON 3.86

$1.35 RON 6.18

-37.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.86

$1.86 RON 8.55

-8.06%

Eggs

$3.67 RON 16.82

$3.35 RON 15.37

9.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.33 RON 38.22

$9.69 RON 44.43

-14.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 RON 28.51

$7.06 RON 32.37

-11.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.10 RON 41.74

$11.93 RON 54.7

-23.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 RON 5.80

$1.24 RON 5.71

1.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.43

$1.72 RON 7.90

-5.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.94

$1.64 RON 7.51

5.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.38

$2.37 RON 10.89

-22.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.27

$0.95 RON 4.35

-2.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 RON 3.83

$0.93 RON 4.25

-10.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$1.09 RON 4.98

-34.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.38

$0.90 RON 4.12

-17.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 RON 26.84

$6.30 RON 28.91

-7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 30.16

$7.65 RON 35.07

-13.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RON 3.98

$1.17 RON 5.37

-25.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 RON 6.14

$2.03 RON 9.32

-33.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 RON 2.89

$0.71 RON 3.24

-11.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.12 RON 147

$23.37 RON 107

37.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 RON 2.85

$0.95 RON 4.34

-34.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.95

$0.81 RON 3.72

-20.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 RON 34.12

$9.56 RON 43.82

-22.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.34

$1.63 RON 7.46

-1.84%

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

$28.3K RON 129.6K

$27.6K RON 126.6K

2.42%

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

$26.7K RON 122.3K

$27.1K RON 124.2K

-1.59%

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

$116 RON 532

$160 RON 733

-27.50%

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

$8.53 RON 39.13

$9.06 RON 41.56

-5.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.26 RON 24.14

$10.14 RON 46.49

-48.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.94 RON 114

$44.86 RON 206

-44.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.39 RON 107

$19.93 RON 91.4

17.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.81 RON 31.22

$7.93 RON 36.38

-14.12%

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

$654 RON 3,001

$475 RON 2,178

37.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 RON 25.3K

$10.8K RON 49.3K

-48.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.4 RON 415

$70.0 RON 321

29.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.38 RON 162

$39.45 RON 181

-10.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 RON 292

$86.4 RON 396

-26.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 RON 454

$100 RON 460

-1.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 RON 1,492

$714 RON 3,275

-54.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 RON 839

$559 RON 2,563

-67.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 RON 2,299

$1,244 RON 5,704

-59.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 RON 1,677

$943 RON 4,324

-61.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,828 RON 8,382

$4,645 RON 21.3K

-60.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,217 RON 5,581

$3,395 RON 15.6K

-64.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,022 RON 4,687

$1,314 RON 6,026

-22.23%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $325 in Bacau 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 29% 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: $195 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 56%, 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 $1,357 per month in Bacau 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 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 $905 in Bacau and $1,410 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 $905, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,410. 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.