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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $891 in Bamako versus $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,471 in Bamako versus $2,111 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,051 in Bamako versus $2,848 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Bamako costs roughly 35% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bamako is 34% below, Cluj-Napoca is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.82 F CFA 3,879

$11.58 RON 52.6

-41.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.70 F CFA 21.4K

$57.8 RON 263

-34.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 F CFA 3,561

$8.08 RON 36.71

-22.52%

Cappuccino

$1.90 F CFA 1,081

$3.53 RON 16.07

-46.18%

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

$0.75 F CFA 424

$2.30 RON 10.45

-67.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 F CFA 337

$2.13 RON 9.70

-72.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 F CFA 1,367

$3.28 RON 14.91

-26.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$21.40 F CFA 12.2K

$4.02 RON 18.27

432.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.29 F CFA 1,301

$1.79 RON 8.14

27.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.89 F CFA 2,212

$1.35 RON 6.13

188.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 RON 8.61

Eggs

$6.72 F CFA 3,819

$3.26 RON 14.82

106.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.94 F CFA 10.2K

$10.25 RON 46.59

75.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.88 F CFA 9,027

$7.06 RON 32.11

124.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.33 F CFA 7,007

$12.06 RON 54.8

2.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 F CFA 2,258

$1.18 RON 5.39

236.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 F CFA 582

$1.72 RON 7.83

-40.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 F CFA 1,643

$1.63 RON 7.43

77.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 F CFA 1,220

$2.42 RON 10.99

-11.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 F CFA 764

$0.95 RON 4.33

41.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 F CFA 775

$0.93 RON 4.25

46.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.10 F CFA 58.4

$1.08 RON 4.92

-90.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 F CFA 1,573

$0.88 RON 4.01

214.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.94 F CFA 536

$6.56 RON 29.81

-85.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.76 RON 35.27

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 F CFA 860

$1.16 RON 5.26

30.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 F CFA 916

$1.96 RON 8.90

-17.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.63 F CFA 2,630

$0.67 RON 3.04

591.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.65 RON 103

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.00 RON 4.53

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 F CFA 720

$0.86 RON 3.92

47.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.43 RON 42.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 F CFA 659

$1.70 RON 7.75

-31.76%

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

$28.5K RON 129.6K

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

$26.7K RON 121.4K

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

$151 F CFA 85.9K

$156 RON 708

-3.01%

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

$9.13 RON 41.50

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.1 F CFA 32.5K

$9.87 RON 44.87

478.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.0 F CFA 38.7K

$44.65 RON 203

52.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.15 F CFA 2,360

$20.25 RON 92.1

-79.51%

Cinema Ticket

$5.70 F CFA 3,242

$8.27 RON 37.57

-31.08%

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

$481 RON 2,187

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K RON 47.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.5 RON 316

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.69 RON 185

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 RON 384

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 RON 454

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$173 F CFA 98.3K

$707 RON 3,212

-75.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$81.6 F CFA 46.4K

$564 RON 2,564

-85.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$398 F CFA 226.2K

$1,261 RON 5,734

-68.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 F CFA 167.2K

$930 RON 4,230

-68.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,832 RON 22.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,252 F CFA 711.6K

$3,491 RON 15.9K

-64.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 F CFA 147.8K

$1,369 RON 6,224

-81.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.85

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

Last update for Bamako: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $173 in Bamako and $707 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 427% 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: $38.00 in Bamako vs $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Groceries flip the comparison at $358 vs $234, with Cluj-Napoca cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Bamako wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Cluj-Napoca. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bamako the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Cluj-Napoca earns 427% 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: $173 in Bamako versus $707 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $891 per month in Bamako versus $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Cluj-Napoca pay roughly 53% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $891 in Bamako versus $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bamako but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Bamako the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bamako delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $891 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bamako hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Bamako 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 Bamako 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.