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: $1,356 in Brasov versus $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,217 in Brasov versus $2,234 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,078 in Brasov versus $2,972 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Brasov costs roughly 9% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brasov is 1% below, Cluj-Napoca is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.13 RON 55.0

$13.28 RON 60.2

-8.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.7 RON 252

$57.0 RON 258

-2.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.85 RON 35.58

$10.13 RON 45.93

-22.51%

Cappuccino

$3.85 RON 17.44

$3.92 RON 17.76

-1.79%

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

$2.58 RON 11.71

$2.54 RON 11.52

1.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 RON 10.65

$2.39 RON 10.84

-1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 RON 14.63

$3.24 RON 14.69

-0.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 RON 16.06

$4.36 RON 19.80

-18.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 RON 7.13

$1.74 RON 7.88

-9.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 RON 6.74

$1.57 RON 7.10

-5.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.10

$1.90 RON 8.63

-6.32%

Eggs

$3.55 RON 16.10

$3.99 RON 18.12

-11.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 RON 41.63

$9.70 RON 43.99

-5.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.35

$7.75 RON 35.14

-8.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.44 RON 60.9

$12.36 RON 56.0

8.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.59 RON 7.21

$1.51 RON 6.86

5.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 RON 7.41

$1.81 RON 8.20

-9.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 RON 7.52

$2.01 RON 9.13

-17.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 RON 12.98

$2.63 RON 11.94

8.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 RON 3.84

$1.00 RON 4.56

-15.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$1.00 RON 4.55

-12.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 RON 3.97

$0.98 RON 4.44

-10.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$1.07 RON 4.84

-27.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.53 RON 29.59

$6.74 RON 30.55

-3.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 RON 35.63

$7.76 RON 35.20

1.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 RON 5.92

$1.29 RON 5.84

1.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 RON 8.54

$1.80 RON 8.17

4.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RON 4.89

$0.78 RON 3.54

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.95 RON 109

$31.80 RON 144

-24.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.66 RON 2.98

$0.97 RON 4.40

-31.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.18

$1.01 RON 4.59

-30.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 RON 30.87

$9.00 RON 40.84

-24.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 RON 8.69

$1.91 RON 8.68

0.52%

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

$29.5K RON 134.0K

$30.2K RON 136.9K

-2.14%

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

$27.3K RON 124.0K

$26.4K RON 119.7K

3.52%

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

$187 RON 848

$168 RON 760

11.67%

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

$8.12 RON 36.84

$8.78 RON 39.84

-7.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.71 RON 44.04

$10.41 RON 47.20

-6.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 RON 274

$48.20 RON 219

25.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.51 RON 65.8

$23.92 RON 108

-39.34%

Cinema Ticket

$9.78 RON 44.38

$10.15 RON 46.03

-3.65%

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

$466 RON 2,115

$613 RON 2,781

-23.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,246 RON 32.9K

$10.1K RON 45.8K

-28.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 RON 250

$92.4 RON 419

-40.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.49 RON 170

$47.93 RON 217

-21.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 RON 360

$105 RON 475

-24.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.4 RON 433

$112 RON 510

-15.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 RON 3,293

$665 RON 3,016

9.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$483 RON 2,191

$548 RON 2,484

-11.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 RON 6,157

$1,212 RON 5,498

11.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 RON 4,929

$858 RON 3,893

26.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,208 RON 14.5K

$4,765 RON 21.6K

-32.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,472 RON 11.2K

$3,587 RON 16.3K

-31.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,156 RON 5,242

$1,365 RON 6,191

-15.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.2

6.8

5.88%

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

Last update for Brasov: August 30, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $726 in Brasov and $665 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 18% 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: $56.0 in Brasov vs $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $248 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 10% in total monthly costs ($1,356 vs $1,497 including rent). Brasov is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 18% 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: $726 in Brasov versus $665 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 $56.0 versus $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,356 per month in Brasov versus $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,356 in Brasov versus $1,497 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 10% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.