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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,254 in Brasov versus $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,956 in Brasov versus $2,148 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,657 in Brasov versus $2,886 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Brasov costs roughly 11% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brasov is 6% below, Cluj-Napoca is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.42 RON 57.0

$11.41 RON 52.3

8.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.8 RON 233

$57.8 RON 265

-12.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.07 RON 37.03

$8.14 RON 37.32

-0.86%

Cappuccino

$3.58 RON 16.40

$3.39 RON 15.53

5.60%

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

$1.90 RON 8.73

$2.35 RON 10.77

-19.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 RON 9.24

$2.11 RON 9.66

-4.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 RON 14.91

$3.26 RON 14.97

-0.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 RON 15.67

$4.02 RON 18.45

-14.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.07

$1.79 RON 8.22

-13.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 RON 5.92

$1.35 RON 6.18

-4.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 RON 8.32

$1.86 RON 8.55

-2.69%

Eggs

$3.36 RON 15.41

$3.35 RON 15.37

0.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.83 RON 40.47

$9.69 RON 44.43

-8.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.03 RON 32.24

$7.06 RON 32.37

-0.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 RON 53.9

$11.93 RON 54.7

-1.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 RON 5.25

$1.24 RON 5.71

-8.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.60

$1.72 RON 7.90

-3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 RON 7.11

$1.64 RON 7.51

-5.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.49 RON 11.40

$2.37 RON 10.89

5.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 RON 4.33

$0.95 RON 4.35

-1.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 RON 4.88

$0.93 RON 4.25

13.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 4.02

$1.09 RON 4.98

-19.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RON 3.64

$0.90 RON 4.12

-12.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 RON 26.82

$6.30 RON 28.91

-7.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.84 RON 35.94

$7.65 RON 35.07

2.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 RON 5.08

$1.17 RON 5.37

-5.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.85

$2.03 RON 9.32

-15.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$0.71 RON 3.24

28.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 RON 85.7

$23.37 RON 107

-20.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 RON 3.53

$0.95 RON 4.34

-18.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 RON 2.76

$0.81 RON 3.72

-25.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 RON 31.11

$9.56 RON 43.82

-29.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 RON 7.36

$1.63 RON 7.46

-1.23%

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

$28.1K RON 128.9K

$27.6K RON 126.6K

1.81%

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

$27.5K RON 126.2K

$27.1K RON 124.2K

1.59%

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

$165 RON 757

$160 RON 733

3.28%

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

$8.19 RON 37.54

$9.06 RON 41.56

-9.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.83 RON 40.49

$10.14 RON 46.49

-12.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 RON 275

$44.86 RON 206

33.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.81 RON 72.5

$19.93 RON 91.4

-20.67%

Cinema Ticket

$10.79 RON 49.49

$7.93 RON 36.38

36.07%

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

$447 RON 2,051

$475 RON 2,178

-5.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,652 RON 30.5K

$10.8K RON 49.3K

-38.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 RON 312

$70.0 RON 321

-2.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.68 RON 196

$39.45 RON 181

8.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 RON 439

$86.4 RON 396

10.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.3 RON 451

$100 RON 460

-1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 RON 2,870

$714 RON 3,275

-12.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$428 RON 1,962

$559 RON 2,563

-23.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,029 RON 4,720

$1,244 RON 5,704

-17.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 RON 3,205

$943 RON 4,324

-25.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,177 RON 14.6K

$4,645 RON 21.3K

-31.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,402 RON 11.0K

$3,395 RON 15.6K

-29.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,127 RON 5,171

$1,314 RON 6,026

-14.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.7

5.85

31.62%

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

Last update for Brasov: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Brasov and $714 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 17% 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: $51.0 in Brasov vs $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $232 per month, with Brasov 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

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

Brasov and Cluj-Napoca differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,254 vs $1,410 including rent). Brasov is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 17% 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: $626 in Brasov versus $714 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Brasov – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,254 per month in Brasov versus $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,254 in Brasov versus $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Brasov but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Brasov 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, Brasov 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 Brasov gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.