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: $910 in Bamako versus $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,457 in Bamako versus $2,213 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,003 in Bamako versus $2,938 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Bamako costs roughly 39% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bamako is 34% below, Cluj-Napoca is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 F CFA 4,680

$13.48 RON 60.8

-38.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.70 F CFA 20.1K

$57.1 RON 258

-37.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 F CFA 4,485

$10.07 RON 45.45

-20.95%

Cappuccino

$1.70 F CFA 958

$3.92 RON 17.69

-56.63%

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

$0.91 F CFA 514

$2.47 RON 11.17

-63.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 F CFA 399

$2.47 RON 11.13

-71.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 F CFA 1,330

$3.36 RON 15.18

-29.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$21.06 F CFA 11.9K

$4.46 RON 20.14

372.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 F CFA 1,085

$1.74 RON 7.85

10.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.87 F CFA 2,181

$1.59 RON 7.19

143.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 RON 8.38

Eggs

$5.89 F CFA 3,319

$3.90 RON 17.62

51.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.51 F CFA 9,868

$9.69 RON 43.73

80.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.49 F CFA 8,730

$7.78 RON 35.15

99.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 F CFA 7,161

$12.11 RON 54.7

4.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 F CFA 2,316

$1.49 RON 6.71

175.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 F CFA 607

$1.79 RON 8.09

-39.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 F CFA 1,578

$1.96 RON 8.87

42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 F CFA 1,152

$2.57 RON 11.61

-20.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 F CFA 682

$1.00 RON 4.52

21.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 F CFA 662

$1.05 RON 4.73

11.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.10 F CFA 57.5

$1.03 RON 4.67

-90.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 F CFA 1,509

$1.03 RON 4.67

160.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 RON 30.50

Wine (Bottle)

$7.54 RON 34.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 F CFA 845

$1.29 RON 5.81

16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 F CFA 940

$1.86 RON 8.39

-10.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.58

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.36 RON 146

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 RON 4.14

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 F CFA 709

$0.98 RON 4.41

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 RON 41.17

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 F CFA 638

$1.91 RON 8.60

-40.84%

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

$29.3K RON 132.4K

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

$26.1K RON 118.0K

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

$151 F CFA 85.3K

$165 RON 743

-8.04%

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

$8.94 RON 40.35

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 F CFA 37.0K

$10.16 RON 45.88

546.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.5 F CFA 39.8K

$49.99 RON 226

41.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.35 RON 105

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 RON 44.85

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

$624 RON 2,819

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K RON 45.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$93.8 RON 424

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.38 RON 223

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 466

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 RON 529

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 F CFA 100.1K

$677 RON 3,055

-73.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.7 F CFA 44.9K

$557 RON 2,516

-85.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$500 F CFA 281.7K

$1,195 RON 5,396

-58.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$304 F CFA 171.4K

$844 RON 3,812

-63.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,864 RON 22.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,227 F CFA 691.7K

$3,549 RON 16.0K

-65.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$259 F CFA 145.8K

$1,340 RON 6,051

-80.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

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

Last update for Bamako: September 7, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $178 in Bamako and $677 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 418% 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: $36.00 in Bamako vs $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Groceries flip the comparison at $347 vs $246, 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 64% 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, salaries run 418% lower in Cluj-Napoca. 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: $178 in Bamako versus $677 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $910 per month in Bamako versus $1,488 in Cluj-Napoca – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Cluj-Napoca pay roughly 41% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $910 in Bamako versus $1,488 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 $910 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 64% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.