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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,025 per month in Barlad vs $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,587 per month in Barlad vs $2,123 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,150 per month in Barlad vs $2,860 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

Barlad is about 26% cheaper than Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barlad sits 24% below the global median, while Cluj-Napoca is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.37 RON 42.67

$11.53 RON 52.5

-18.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.93 RON 214

$58.1 RON 265

-19.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 RON 35.66

$8.21 RON 37.36

-4.63%

Cappuccino

$2.70 RON 12.30

$3.37 RON 15.35

-19.88%

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

$1.99 RON 9.04

$2.42 RON 11.01

-17.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.94

$2.19 RON 9.97

-20.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 RON 10.72

$3.25 RON 14.81

-27.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 RON 12.32

$3.90 RON 17.74

-30.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 RON 6.74

$1.74 RON 7.91

-14.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 RON 5.41

$1.33 RON 6.07

-10.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.89

$1.84 RON 8.37

-5.98%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.26

$3.24 RON 14.74

3.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.39 RON 38.19

$10.15 RON 46.20

-17.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 RON 31.27

$6.89 RON 31.38

-0.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.50 RON 47.82

$12.08 RON 55.0

-13.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.15

$1.23 RON 5.61

-8.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.27

$1.73 RON 7.87

-7.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.32

$1.55 RON 7.07

3.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.77

$2.33 RON 10.59

-17.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.84

$1.02 RON 4.63

-17.65%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.19

$0.97 RON 4.41

-5.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 RON 4.08

$1.04 RON 4.73

-13.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 RON 3.72

$0.88 RON 4.01

-6.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 RON 26.60

$6.53 RON 29.73

-10.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 RON 26.89

$7.94 RON 36.13

-25.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.69

$1.13 RON 5.13

-8.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 RON 7.70

$2.05 RON 9.33

-17.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$0.70 RON 3.20

1.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 RON 89.8

$23.33 RON 106

-15.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 RON 3.48

$1.00 RON 4.56

-24.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.35

$0.89 RON 4.05

-16.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.09 RON 32.26

$9.45 RON 43.00

-24.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.00

$1.69 RON 7.69

-8.88%

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

$28.3K RON 128.8K

$28.4K RON 129.5K

-0.52%

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

$26.9K RON 122.5K

$27.1K RON 123.2K

-0.55%

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

$147 RON 668

$161 RON 735

-9.07%

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

$7.88 RON 35.86

$9.19 RON 41.82

-14.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.12 RON 41.52

$9.66 RON 43.95

-5.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.89 RON 191

$44.75 RON 204

-6.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.99 RON 86.5

$19.86 RON 90.4

-4.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 RON 32.20

$8.25 RON 37.56

-14.30%

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

$433 RON 1,971

$491 RON 2,236

-11.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,944 RON 31.6K

$10.8K RON 49.3K

-35.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 RON 309

$70.9 RON 323

-4.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.52 RON 175

$39.43 RON 180

-2.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 RON 343

$84.2 RON 383

-10.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 RON 415

$99.5 RON 453

-8.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 RON 1,802

$692 RON 3,151

-42.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 RON 1,327

$550 RON 2,503

-46.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 RON 2,665

$1,244 RON 5,665

-52.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 2,018

$923 RON 4,203

-51.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,967 RON 8,954

$4,494 RON 20.5K

-56.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 RON 5,566

$3,328 RON 15.2K

-63.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,378 RON 6,275

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

5.85

12.14%

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

Last update for Barlad: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $396 in Barlad versus $692 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Barlad versus $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $232 – making Barlad 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,025 in Barlad, $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca – roughly 35% apart. Cluj-Napoca costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,537 per month in Barlad and $2,080 in Cluj-Napoca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barlad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 18% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $433 per month in Barlad and $491 in Cluj-Napoca. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barlad, where all-in costs run around $1,025, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,387. In Barlad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cluj-Napoca it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Cluj-Napoca has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,025 in Barlad to $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Barlad. 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.