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: $915 in Bamako versus $1,373 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,501 in Bamako versus $2,113 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,087 in Bamako versus $2,854 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Bamako costs roughly 33% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bamako is 32% below, Cluj-Napoca is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.52 F CFA 3,756

$11.30 RON 51.8

-42.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.86 F CFA 21.8K

$56.6 RON 260

-33.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 F CFA 3,676

$8.21 RON 37.65

-22.29%

Cappuccino

$1.86 F CFA 1,071

$3.47 RON 15.91

-46.40%

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

$0.74 F CFA 429

$2.43 RON 11.14

-69.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 F CFA 326

$2.22 RON 10.20

-74.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 F CFA 1,398

$3.15 RON 14.45

-22.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$20.98 F CFA 12.1K

$3.86 RON 17.71

443.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.27 F CFA 1,310

$1.80 RON 8.23

26.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.92 F CFA 2,259

$1.30 RON 5.96

201.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.32

Eggs

$6.79 F CFA 3,914

$3.37 RON 15.45

101.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.61 F CFA 10.1K

$10.00 RON 45.87

76.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.62 F CFA 9,006

$7.11 RON 32.61

119.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 F CFA 7,164

$11.81 RON 54.2

5.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 F CFA 2,275

$1.19 RON 5.48

231.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 F CFA 589

$1.78 RON 8.18

-42.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 F CFA 1,640

$1.62 RON 7.42

75.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 F CFA 1,246

$2.37 RON 10.87

-8.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 F CFA 777

$1.02 RON 4.66

32.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 F CFA 788

$0.98 RON 4.51

39.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.11 F CFA 65.7

$1.09 RON 4.98

-89.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 F CFA 1,571

$0.94 RON 4.31

189.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.97 F CFA 557

$6.43 RON 29.47

-84.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.79 RON 35.73

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 F CFA 890

$1.17 RON 5.36

31.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 F CFA 958

$2.01 RON 9.24

-17.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.76 F CFA 2,746

$0.71 RON 3.25

570.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.40 RON 107

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 RON 4.63

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 F CFA 703

$0.83 RON 3.81

46.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.57 RON 43.89

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 F CFA 662

$1.66 RON 7.60

-30.72%

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

$28.1K RON 128.8K

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

$26.1K RON 119.5K

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

$150 F CFA 86.2K

$161 RON 739

-7.16%

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

$8.89 RON 40.76

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.6 F CFA 33.2K

$10.08 RON 46.22

471.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.9 F CFA 39.2K

$43.69 RON 200

55.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.99 F CFA 2,298

$19.88 RON 91.1

-79.93%

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 F CFA 3,308

$8.25 RON 37.82

-30.42%

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

$476 RON 2,180

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K RON 49.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 RON 324

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.96 RON 188

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 RON 394

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 RON 462

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$175 F CFA 100.7K

$710 RON 3,255

-75.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$79.4 F CFA 45.8K

$549 RON 2,518

-85.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 F CFA 233.3K

$1,251 RON 5,737

-67.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 F CFA 170.2K

$928 RON 4,256

-68.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,801 RON 22.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,244 F CFA 717.2K

$3,422 RON 15.7K

-63.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$264 F CFA 152.5K

$1,359 RON 6,232

-80.54%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $175 in Bamako and $710 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 414% 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 $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Groceries flip the comparison at $356 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 50% 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 414% 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: $175 in Bamako versus $710 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $915 per month in Bamako versus $1,373 in Cluj-Napoca – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Cluj-Napoca pay roughly 52% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $915 in Bamako versus $1,373 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 $915 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 50% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.