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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $943 in Botosani versus $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,370 in Botosani versus $2,224 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,797 in Botosani versus $2,946 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Botosani costs roughly 37% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Botosani is 31% below, Cluj-Napoca is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.58 RON 39.30

$12.94 RON 59.3

-33.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.25 RON 134

$56.1 RON 257

-47.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 RON 34.71

$9.60 RON 43.98

-21.04%

Cappuccino

$2.26 RON 10.36

$3.89 RON 17.81

-41.90%

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

$1.47 RON 6.73

$2.51 RON 11.52

-41.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 RON 5.73

$2.47 RON 11.31

-49.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 RON 9.12

$3.31 RON 15.19

-39.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 RON 10.86

$4.50 RON 20.62

-47.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 RON 6.48

$1.69 RON 7.72

-16.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 RON 5.08

$1.53 RON 7.00

-27.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.46 RON 6.69

$1.91 RON 8.75

-23.56%

Eggs

$2.95 RON 13.51

$3.87 RON 17.74

-23.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 RON 34.05

$9.87 RON 45.19

-24.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.06 RON 27.77

$7.54 RON 34.56

-19.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.26 RON 42.41

$11.94 RON 54.7

-22.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 RON 4.74

$1.51 RON 6.93

-31.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 RON 6.06

$1.77 RON 8.13

-25.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 RON 6.67

$1.93 RON 8.84

-24.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.84

$2.64 RON 12.11

-26.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 RON 3.68

$0.94 RON 4.28

-14.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 RON 2.63

$1.00 RON 4.56

-43.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 RON 4.14

$1.00 RON 4.59

-10.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.61

$1.01 RON 4.64

-21.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 RON 27.57

$6.50 RON 29.78

-7.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.89 RON 31.58

$7.62 RON 34.89

-9.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 RON 5.19

$1.33 RON 6.11

-15.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 RON 7.43

$1.78 RON 8.14

-8.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 RON 3.63

$0.80 RON 3.67

-1.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.20 RON 143

$31.77 RON 146

-1.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.79 RON 3.61

$0.96 RON 4.40

-17.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.38

$1.01 RON 4.65

-26.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.92 RON 36.28

$8.80 RON 40.32

-10.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 RON 8.01

$1.91 RON 8.74

-8.38%

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

$28.3K RON 129.5K

$30.0K RON 137.3K

-5.69%

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

$26.4K RON 121.1K

$26.3K RON 120.5K

0.54%

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

$104 RON 479

$164 RON 753

-36.46%

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

$7.84 RON 35.94

$9.04 RON 41.43

-13.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.55 RON 39.17

$10.32 RON 47.28

-17.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.62 RON 154

$48.47 RON 222

-30.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.89 RON 109

$23.56 RON 108

1.40%

Cinema Ticket

$5.36 RON 24.55

$9.86 RON 45.15

-45.64%

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

$332 RON 1,523

$618 RON 2,833

-46.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K RON 47.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.50 RON 218

$93.0 RON 426

-48.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.05 RON 142

$47.70 RON 219

-34.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.3 RON 304

$103 RON 472

-35.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.9 RON 315

$112 RON 515

-38.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 RON 1,846

$647 RON 2,962

-37.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 RON 1,343

$542 RON 2,483

-45.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 RON 2,551

$1,180 RON 5,407

-52.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$396 RON 1,816

$847 RON 3,882

-53.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,414 RON 6,479

$4,823 RON 22.1K

-70.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,063 RON 4,868

$3,511 RON 16.1K

-69.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,001 RON 4,583

$1,333 RON 6,108

-24.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.8

-3.38%

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

Last update for Botosani: September 12, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Botosani and $647 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 33% 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: $29.00 in Botosani vs $56.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $244 per month, with Botosani cheaper across the board.

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

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

Botosani and Cluj-Napoca differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($943 vs $1,501 including rent). Botosani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 33% 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: $403 in Botosani versus $647 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $332 in Botosani versus $618 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Cluj-Napoca. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $943 in Botosani versus $1,501 in Cluj-Napoca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Botosani but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Botosani the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Botosani 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 Botosani gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.