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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,075 in Braila versus $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,660 in Braila versus $2,111 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,246 in Braila versus $2,848 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Braila costs roughly 22% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Braila is 20% below, Cluj-Napoca is 2% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Braila
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.57 RON 61.4
$11.58 RON 52.4
17.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.96 RON 212
$57.8 RON 261
-18.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.24 RON 37.28
$8.08 RON 36.53
1.98%
Cappuccino
$2.78 RON 12.57
$3.53 RON 15.99
-21.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92 RON 8.67
$2.30 RON 10.40
-16.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 RON 7.87
$2.13 RON 9.65
-18.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.29 RON 10.34
$3.28 RON 14.84
-30.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25 RON 14.70
$4.02 RON 18.18
-19.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Braila
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 RON 7.09
$1.79 RON 8.11
-12.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.25 RON 5.65
$1.35 RON 6.10
-7.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.86 RON 8.42
$1.89 RON 8.56
-1.59%
Eggs
$3.44 RON 15.57
$3.26 RON 14.75
5.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.41 RON 38.05
$10.25 RON 46.36
-17.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.67 RON 30.16
$7.06 RON 31.96
-5.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.56 RON 47.77
$12.06 RON 54.6
-12.44%
Apples (1kg)
$1.20 RON 5.45
$1.18 RON 5.36
1.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.66 RON 7.49
$1.72 RON 7.80
-3.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.71 RON 7.74
$1.63 RON 7.39
4.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.93 RON 8.72
$2.42 RON 10.93
-20.25%
Potato (1kg)
$0.81 RON 3.65
$0.95 RON 4.30
-14.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.09 RON 4.93
$0.93 RON 4.23
17.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 RON 3.07
$1.08 RON 4.89
-37.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76 RON 3.45
$0.88 RON 3.99
-13.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.76 RON 26.05
$6.56 RON 29.67
-12.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.53 RON 29.53
$7.76 RON 35.09
-15.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.07 RON 4.86
$1.16 RON 5.23
-7.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 RON 7.56
$1.96 RON 8.86
-14.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Braila
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.65 RON 2.95
$0.67 RON 3.02
-2.99%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$16.15 RON 73.1
$22.65 RON 102
-28.70%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.90 RON 4.06
$1.00 RON 4.51
-10.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.61 RON 2.75
$0.86 RON 3.90
-29.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.69 RON 34.81
$9.43 RON 42.67
-18.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 RON 6.97
$1.70 RON 7.71
-9.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K RON 125.5K
$28.5K RON 128.9K
-2.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.9K RON 126.3K
$26.7K RON 120.8K
4.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Braila
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$151 RON 684
$156 RON 704
-2.83%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$7.79 RON 35.23
$9.13 RON 41.29
-14.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.98 RON 40.62
$9.87 RON 44.65
-9.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Braila
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.16 RON 155
$44.65 RON 202
-23.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.68 RON 61.9
$20.25 RON 91.6
-32.44%
Cinema Ticket
$6.89 RON 31.15
$8.27 RON 37.39
-16.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Braila
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$296 RON 1,341
$481 RON 2,176
-38.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,003 RON 31.7K
$10.5K RON 47.5K
-33.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Braila
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.2 RON 304
$69.5 RON 314
-3.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.4 RON 250
$40.69 RON 184
36.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.5 RON 319
$84.5 RON 382
-16.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 RON 510
$99.9 RON 452
12.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Braila
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$377 RON 1,706
$707 RON 3,196
-46.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$305 RON 1,378
$564 RON 2,552
-46.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$577 RON 2,611
$1,261 RON 5,706
-54.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$465 RON 2,106
$930 RON 4,209
-49.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,963 RON 8,878
$4,832 RON 21.9K
-59.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,410 RON 6,379
$3,491 RON 15.8K
-59.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Braila
Cluj-Napoca
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$876 RON 3,962
$1,369 RON 6,194
-36.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.78
5.85
15.90%

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

Last update for Braila: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $377 in Braila and $707 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 56% 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: $47.00 in Braila vs $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $210 vs $234 per month, with Braila 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
Braila vs Cluj-Napoca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Braila or Cluj-Napoca?
Braila wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Cluj-Napoca. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Braila the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Braila or Cluj-Napoca?
On paper, Cluj-Napoca earns 56% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Braila vs Cluj-Napoca?
Rent for a central apartment: $377 in Braila versus $707 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Braila vs Cluj-Napoca?
A monthly transit pass in Braila runs roughly 40% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Braila and Cluj-Napoca?
Childcare runs $296 in Braila versus $481 in Cluj-Napoca. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Braila or Cluj-Napoca?
At $1,075 in Braila versus $1,374 in Cluj-Napoca, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Braila but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Braila the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Braila or Cluj-Napoca?
Both work as nomad bases, but Braila delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,075 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Braila hard to pass up.
How safe is Braila compared to Cluj-Napoca?
Safety-wise, Braila 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Braila gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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