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 $1,037 per month in Barlad vs $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,604 per month in Barlad vs $2,234 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,171 per month in Barlad vs $2,972 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

Barlad is about 31% cheaper than Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barlad sits 24% below the global median, while Cluj-Napoca is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.64 RON 48.06

$13.28 RON 60.0

-19.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.71 RON 188

$57.0 RON 257

-26.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 RON 33.88

$10.13 RON 45.75

-25.96%

Cappuccino

$2.67 RON 12.06

$3.92 RON 17.69

-31.89%

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

$2.04 RON 9.23

$2.54 RON 11.47

-19.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 RON 7.57

$2.39 RON 10.79

-30.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 RON 9.69

$3.24 RON 14.63

-33.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 RON 11.64

$4.36 RON 19.72

-40.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.32

$1.74 RON 7.85

-19.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 RON 5.83

$1.57 RON 7.07

-17.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 RON 6.38

$1.90 RON 8.60

-25.79%

Eggs

$3.10 RON 13.98

$3.99 RON 18.05

-22.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 RON 33.47

$9.70 RON 43.82

-23.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 RON 29.44

$7.75 RON 35.01

-15.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 RON 47.99

$12.36 RON 55.8

-14.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 RON 5.69

$1.51 RON 6.83

-16.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.54

$1.81 RON 8.17

-19.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 RON 6.23

$2.01 RON 9.10

-31.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 RON 10.39

$2.63 RON 11.89

-12.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$1.00 RON 4.54

-22.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.50

$1.00 RON 4.53

-22.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 RON 3.85

$0.98 RON 4.42

-13.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.23

$1.07 RON 4.83

-12.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.86 RON 31.00

$6.74 RON 30.43

1.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 RON 28.71

$7.76 RON 35.06

-18.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 RON 5.69

$1.29 RON 5.82

-2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 RON 6.82

$1.80 RON 8.14

-16.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 RON 2.37

$0.78 RON 3.53

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.51 RON 97.2

$31.80 RON 144

-32.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 RON 3.40

$0.97 RON 4.38

-22.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.35

$1.01 RON 4.57

-26.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.04 RON 31.82

$9.00 RON 40.68

-21.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.30

$1.91 RON 8.65

-3.66%

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

$28.5K RON 129.0K

$30.2K RON 136.4K

-5.44%

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

$29.1K RON 131.6K

$26.4K RON 119.3K

10.32%

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

$165 RON 743

$168 RON 757

-1.80%

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

$9.46 RON 42.73

$8.78 RON 39.68

7.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.15 RON 41.34

$10.41 RON 47.01

-12.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.78 RON 166

$48.20 RON 218

-23.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.62 RON 102

$23.92 RON 108

-5.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.18 RON 32.44

$10.15 RON 45.85

-29.26%

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

$444 RON 2,008

$613 RON 2,771

-27.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,345 RON 28.7K

$10.1K RON 45.7K

-37.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 RON 280

$92.4 RON 418

-33.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.63 RON 193

$47.93 RON 217

-11.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 RON 388

$105 RON 473

-17.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 RON 347

$112 RON 508

-31.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 RON 1,600

$665 RON 3,004

-46.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 RON 1,483

$548 RON 2,474

-40.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 RON 2,753

$1,212 RON 5,477

-49.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 RON 2,033

$858 RON 3,878

-47.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,862 RON 8,414

$4,765 RON 21.5K

-60.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,415 RON 6,393

$3,587 RON 16.2K

-60.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,365 RON 6,167

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.97

6.8

2.50%

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

Last update for Barlad: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $354 in Barlad versus $665 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 $42.00 in Barlad versus $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $248 – 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: $1,037 in Barlad, $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca – roughly 44% apart. Cluj-Napoca costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,556 per month in Barlad and $2,246 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 48% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $444 per month in Barlad and $613 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 $1,037, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,497. 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 $1,037 in Barlad to $1,497 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.