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 $1,036 per month in Barlad vs $1,373 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,583 per month in Barlad vs $2,113 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,131 per month in Barlad vs $2,854 in Cluj-Napoca, rent included.

Barlad is about 25% cheaper than Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barlad sits 22% 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 42.97

$11.30 RON 51.8

-17.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.54 RON 209

$56.6 RON 260

-19.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 RON 37.22

$8.21 RON 37.67

-1.22%

Cappuccino

$2.69 RON 12.34

$3.47 RON 15.91

-22.48%

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

$1.95 RON 8.94

$2.43 RON 11.15

-19.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.70

$2.22 RON 10.20

-24.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 RON 10.33

$3.15 RON 14.46

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 RON 12.32

$3.86 RON 17.72

-30.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 7.10

$1.80 RON 8.24

-13.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 RON 5.68

$1.30 RON 5.96

-4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.68

$1.82 RON 8.33

-8.24%

Eggs

$3.38 RON 15.52

$3.37 RON 15.46

0.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 RON 38.28

$10.00 RON 45.89

-16.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.72 RON 30.83

$7.11 RON 32.63

-5.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.44 RON 47.89

$11.81 RON 54.2

-11.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.42

$1.19 RON 5.48

-0.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.34

$1.78 RON 8.18

-10.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.38

$1.62 RON 7.42

-0.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 RON 9.21

$2.37 RON 10.87

-15.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 RON 4.10

$1.02 RON 4.67

-12.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 RON 4.56

$0.98 RON 4.52

1.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 3.99

$1.09 RON 4.98

-20.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.54

$0.94 RON 4.32

-18.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.90 RON 27.04

$6.43 RON 29.49

-8.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.17 RON 32.91

$7.79 RON 35.75

-7.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 RON 4.94

$1.17 RON 5.36

-7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 RON 7.55

$2.01 RON 9.24

-17.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 RON 3.28

$0.71 RON 3.25

1.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.86 RON 91.1

$23.40 RON 107

-15.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 RON 3.56

$1.01 RON 4.63

-22.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.22

$0.83 RON 3.81

-15.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.88 RON 31.55

$9.57 RON 43.91

-28.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 RON 7.31

$1.66 RON 7.60

-4.22%

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

$28.1K RON 128.7K

$28.1K RON 128.9K

-0.11%

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

$27.3K RON 125.5K

$26.1K RON 119.6K

4.94%

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

$151 RON 692

$161 RON 739

-6.36%

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

$8.30 RON 38.09

$8.89 RON 40.78

-6.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.94 RON 41.01

$10.08 RON 46.25

-11.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.77 RON 187

$43.69 RON 200

-6.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.45 RON 89.2

$19.88 RON 91.2

-2.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.06 RON 32.37

$8.25 RON 37.84

-14.42%

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

$433 RON 1,988

$476 RON 2,181

-8.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,858 RON 31.5K

$10.9K RON 49.8K

-36.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.4 RON 309

$70.7 RON 324

-4.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.67 RON 177

$40.96 RON 188

-5.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 RON 345

$86.0 RON 395

-12.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 RON 421

$101 RON 462

-8.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 RON 1,796

$710 RON 3,256

-44.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 RON 1,315

$549 RON 2,519

-47.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 RON 2,709

$1,251 RON 5,740

-52.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 2,031

$928 RON 4,258

-52.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,722 RON 7,901

$4,801 RON 22.0K

-64.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 RON 6,530

$3,422 RON 15.7K

-58.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,359 RON 6,235

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $391 in Barlad versus $710 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 $46.00 in Barlad versus $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $210 vs $234 – 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: $1,036 in Barlad, $1,373 in Cluj-Napoca – roughly 32% apart. Cluj-Napoca costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,554 per month in Barlad and $2,059 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 $476 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 $1,036, than in Cluj-Napoca at $1,373. 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 $1,036 in Barlad to $1,373 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.