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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,096 in Buzau versus $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,581 in Buzau versus $2,123 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,066 in Buzau versus $2,860 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Buzau costs roughly 21% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buzau is 18% below, Cluj-Napoca is 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 RON 54.9

$11.53 RON 52.1

5.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.99 RON 113

$58.1 RON 263

-57.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 RON 26.62

$8.21 RON 37.10

-28.26%

Cappuccino

$2.70 RON 12.20

$3.37 RON 15.25

-19.88%

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

$1.98 RON 8.97

$2.42 RON 10.93

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 RON 7.11

$2.19 RON 9.90

-28.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 RON 14.83

$3.25 RON 14.70

0.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 RON 15.69

$3.90 RON 17.61

-11.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 RON 6.66

$1.74 RON 7.85

-15.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.12

$1.33 RON 6.03

1.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 RON 8.04

$1.84 RON 8.31

-3.26%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.14

$3.24 RON 14.64

3.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.74 RON 39.51

$10.15 RON 45.88

-13.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 RON 31.35

$6.89 RON 31.15

0.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 RON 46.27

$12.08 RON 54.6

-15.23%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 RON 4.04

$1.23 RON 5.57

-27.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 RON 6.97

$1.73 RON 7.81

-10.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.34

$1.55 RON 7.02

-23.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 RON 7.91

$2.33 RON 10.51

-24.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.95

$1.02 RON 4.60

-14.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 RON 4.82

$0.97 RON 4.38

10.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 RON 2.73

$1.04 RON 4.70

-42.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 RON 2.74

$0.88 RON 3.98

-30.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.60 RON 25.33

$6.53 RON 29.52

-14.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.60 RON 29.85

$7.94 RON 35.87

-16.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 RON 4.80

$1.13 RON 5.10

-6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.75

$2.05 RON 9.26

-16.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 RON 3.05

$0.70 RON 3.18

-4.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.34 RON 87.4

$23.33 RON 105

-17.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.65 RON 2.93

$1.00 RON 4.52

-35.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 RON 3.40

$0.89 RON 4.02

-15.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 RON 31.41

$9.45 RON 42.70

-26.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 RON 7.40

$1.69 RON 7.63

-2.96%

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

$21.1K RON 95.2K

$28.4K RON 128.6K

-26.00%

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

$23.4K RON 105.6K

$27.1K RON 122.3K

-13.68%

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

$125 RON 566

$161 RON 730

-22.47%

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

$6.43 RON 29.08

$9.19 RON 41.52

-30.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.05 RON 40.93

$9.66 RON 43.65

-6.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.13 RON 168

$44.75 RON 202

-17.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 RON 90.5

$19.86 RON 89.8

0.81%

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 RON 26.79

$8.25 RON 37.30

-28.12%

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

$334 RON 1,512

$491 RON 2,220

-31.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,544 RON 29.6K

$10.8K RON 49.0K

-39.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 RON 275

$70.9 RON 320

-14.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.04 RON 195

$39.43 RON 178

9.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 RON 429

$84.2 RON 380

12.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 RON 447

$99.5 RON 450

-0.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 RON 2,010

$692 RON 3,129

-35.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 RON 1,643

$550 RON 2,485

-33.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 RON 2,813

$1,244 RON 5,625

-49.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 RON 2,123

$923 RON 4,174

-49.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,555 RON 7,029

$4,494 RON 20.3K

-65.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,217 RON 5,501

$3,328 RON 15.0K

-63.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$902 RON 4,076

$1,378 RON 6,231

-34.58%

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 Buzau: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Buzau and $692 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 53% 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: $25.00 in Buzau vs $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $232 per month, with Buzau 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

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

Buzau and Cluj-Napoca differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,096 vs $1,387 including rent). Buzau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Cluj-Napoca earns 53% less. 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: $445 in Buzau versus $692 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Cluj-Napoca. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Buzau – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $58.0 in Cluj-Napoca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,096 in Buzau versus $1,387 in Cluj-Napoca, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Buzau but tight or insufficient in Cluj-Napoca. The gap between the two cities makes Buzau 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, Buzau 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 Buzau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.