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 $1,024 per month in Barlad vs $1,384 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,576 per month in Barlad vs $2,092 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,129 per month in Barlad vs $2,800 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

$9.70 RON 42.10

$11.62 RON 50.4

-16.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.51 RON 198

$56.4 RON 245

-19.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 RON 34.64

$7.91 RON 34.31

0.88%

Cappuccino

$2.64 RON 11.47

$3.52 RON 15.29

-25.00%

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

$2.00 RON 8.70

$2.40 RON 10.42

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 RON 7.63

$2.20 RON 9.54

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 RON 9.87

$3.14 RON 13.63

-27.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 RON 11.88

$3.94 RON 17.10

-30.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 6.67

$1.80 RON 7.79

-14.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 RON 5.33

$1.29 RON 5.62

-4.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.53

$1.88 RON 8.14

-7.98%

Eggs

$3.39 RON 14.70

$3.37 RON 14.63

0.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 RON 37.63

$10.21 RON 44.33

-15.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 RON 29.33

$7.27 RON 31.57

-7.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.20 RON 44.27

$12.10 RON 52.5

-15.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 4.92

$1.24 RON 5.40

-8.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 RON 6.69

$1.79 RON 7.77

-13.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 6.96

$1.64 RON 7.11

-2.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.36

$2.40 RON 10.42

-19.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 RON 3.59

$0.94 RON 4.09

-11.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.21

$0.91 RON 3.96

6.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 3.77

$1.03 RON 4.48

-15.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.33

$0.95 RON 4.12

-18.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 RON 25.01

$6.55 RON 28.43

-12.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.89 RON 34.26

$7.75 RON 33.65

1.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.63

$1.12 RON 4.86

-4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.40

$2.05 RON 8.91

-16.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.04

$0.71 RON 3.07

-1.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.64 RON 85.2

$22.87 RON 99.2

-14.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.09

$0.99 RON 4.29

-28.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 RON 3.19

$0.84 RON 3.63

-13.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 RON 29.57

$9.08 RON 39.39

-25.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.65

$1.68 RON 7.29

-8.93%

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

$28.3K RON 122.8K

$28.6K RON 123.9K

-0.88%

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

$27.2K RON 118.2K

$26.5K RON 115.2K

2.56%

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

$152 RON 659

$158 RON 685

-3.77%

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

$7.89 RON 34.24

$9.15 RON 39.69

-13.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.04 RON 39.25

$10.13 RON 43.97

-10.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.38 RON 180

$43.86 RON 190

-5.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.08 RON 82.8

$20.09 RON 87.2

-5.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 RON 29.81

$8.10 RON 35.17

-15.19%

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

$424 RON 1,840

$479 RON 2,080

-11.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,014 RON 30.4K

$10.6K RON 46.2K

-34.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 RON 292

$68.8 RON 299

-2.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.54 RON 167

$39.64 RON 172

-2.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 RON 327

$83.6 RON 363

-9.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 RON 407

$98.6 RON 428

-4.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 RON 1,705

$704 RON 3,056

-44.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 RON 1,280

$565 RON 2,451

-47.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 RON 2,510

$1,283 RON 5,569

-54.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 RON 1,933

$930 RON 4,037

-52.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,024 RON 8,782

$4,717 RON 20.5K

-57.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 RON 6,737

$3,404 RON 14.8K

-54.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,404 RON 6,093

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Barlad versus $704 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 $46 in Barlad versus $56 in Cluj-Napoca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $236 – 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: $1,024 in Barlad, $1,384 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 $1,535 per month in Barlad and $2,077 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 16% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $424 per month in Barlad and $479 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 $1,024, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,384. 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 $1,024 in Barlad to $1,384 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.