Cost of Living Comparison Between Baia Mare and Cluj-Napoca Cost of Living Comparison Between Baia Mare and Cluj-Napoca

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $894 in Baia Mare versus $1,375 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,405 in Baia Mare versus $2,092 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,917 in Baia Mare versus $2,808 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Baia Mare costs roughly 35% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Baia Mare is 33% below, Cluj-Napoca is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.40 RON 41.00

$11.48 RON 50.1

-18.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.34 RON 163

$57.9 RON 253

-35.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 RON 29.63

$8.25 RON 35.98

-17.58%

Cappuccino

$2.12 RON 9.24

$3.53 RON 15.40

-39.94%

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

$1.72 RON 7.52

$2.33 RON 10.16

-26.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 RON 5.61

$2.22 RON 9.67

-41.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 RON 6.97

$3.19 RON 13.92

-49.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 RON 9.68

$3.90 RON 16.98

-43.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 RON 6.63

$1.72 RON 7.52

-11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 RON 5.32

$1.31 RON 5.70

-6.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 RON 6.89

$1.89 RON 8.26

-16.40%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 14.62

$3.23 RON 14.10

3.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.64 RON 33.29

$9.79 RON 42.69

-21.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.98 RON 26.08

$7.15 RON 31.19

-16.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.87 RON 38.68

$11.97 RON 52.2

-25.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.22 RON 5.33

$1.23 RON 5.37

-0.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 RON 6.67

$1.77 RON 7.72

-13.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.51

$1.62 RON 7.07

6.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 RON 9.40

$2.37 RON 10.34

-8.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.39

$0.97 RON 4.21

-19.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.83

$0.93 RON 4.06

-5.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 RON 4.58

$1.04 RON 4.52

0.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RON 3.49

$0.87 RON 3.78

-8.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.17 RON 22.56

$6.51 RON 28.40

-20.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.94 RON 21.55

$7.79 RON 33.97

-36.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 RON 4.54

$1.17 RON 5.08

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 RON 8.03

$1.96 RON 8.53

-6.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 2.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.29 RON 71.0

$23.34 RON 102

-30.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 RON 3.32

$1.00 RON 4.36

-24.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 RON 3.53

$0.82 RON 3.57

-1.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.07 RON 39.54

$9.52 RON 41.50

-4.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.65

$1.64 RON 7.14

-6.71%

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

$28.4K RON 124.0K

$28.3K RON 123.5K

0.40%

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

$26.7K RON 116.3K

$26.9K RON 117.1K

-0.71%

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

$116 RON 508

$158 RON 688

-26.15%

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

$8.84 RON 38.53

$8.92 RON 38.87

-0.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.30 RON 49.27

$10.05 RON 43.81

12.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.8 RON 221

$43.60 RON 190

16.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.02 RON 91.7

$20.27 RON 88.4

3.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 RON 29.95

$7.93 RON 34.56

-13.37%

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

$424 RON 1,849

$490 RON 2,136

-13.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,879 RON 30.0K

$10.5K RON 45.8K

-34.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.8 RON 230

$70.7 RON 308

-25.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 RON 166

$40.62 RON 177

-6.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.9 RON 305

$85.1 RON 371

-17.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.5 RON 408

$99.6 RON 434

-6.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 RON 1,229

$719 RON 3,135

-60.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 RON 901

$558 RON 2,432

-62.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 RON 2,334

$1,274 RON 5,554

-57.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 RON 1,797

$951 RON 4,144

-56.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,374 RON 10.3K

$4,661 RON 20.3K

-49.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,632 RON 7,114

$3,361 RON 14.7K

-51.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$906 RON 3,949

$1,415 RON 6,171

-36.00%

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 Baia Mare: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $282 in Baia Mare and $719 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 56% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $37.00 in Baia Mare vs $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $196 vs $232 per month, with Baia Mare cheaper across the board.

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

Baia Mare vs Cluj-Napoca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baia Mare is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cluj-Napoca earns 56% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $282 in Baia Mare versus $719 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $424 in Baia Mare versus $490 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Cluj-Napoca. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $894 in Baia Mare versus $1,375 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Baia Mare but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Baia Mare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Baia Mare is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cluj-Napoca, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Baia Mare and Cluj-Napoca are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Baia Mare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.