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: $1,115 in Buzau versus $1,410 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,568 in Buzau versus $2,148 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,020 in Buzau versus $2,886 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 17% below, Cluj-Napoca is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.27 RON 56.3

$11.41 RON 52.3

7.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.22 RON 116

$57.8 RON 265

-56.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 RON 26.57

$8.14 RON 37.32

-28.87%

Cappuccino

$2.81 RON 12.88

$3.39 RON 15.53

-17.11%

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

$1.98 RON 9.08

$2.35 RON 10.77

-15.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 RON 7.25

$2.11 RON 9.66

-25.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 RON 15.05

$3.26 RON 14.97

0.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.52 RON 16.14

$4.02 RON 18.45

-12.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 RON 7.12

$1.79 RON 8.22

-13.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 RON 6.23

$1.35 RON 6.18

0.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 RON 7.79

$1.86 RON 8.55

-8.60%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.36

$3.35 RON 15.37

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.70 RON 39.89

$9.69 RON 44.43

-10.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 RON 30.21

$7.06 RON 32.37

-6.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.03 RON 45.99

$11.93 RON 54.7

-15.93%

Apples (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.39

$1.24 RON 5.71

-22.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.37

$1.72 RON 7.90

-6.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 RON 5.41

$1.64 RON 7.51

-28.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.89

$2.37 RON 10.89

-27.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.99

$0.95 RON 4.35

-8.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 RON 4.86

$0.93 RON 4.25

13.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 RON 2.79

$1.09 RON 4.98

-44.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 RON 2.72

$0.90 RON 4.12

-34.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.59 RON 25.64

$6.30 RON 28.91

-11.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.59 RON 30.21

$7.65 RON 35.07

-13.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 RON 4.82

$1.17 RON 5.37

-10.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 RON 7.70

$2.03 RON 9.32

-17.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.21

$0.71 RON 3.24

-1.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.62 RON 90.0

$23.37 RON 107

-16.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.69 RON 3.15

$0.95 RON 4.34

-27.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 RON 3.22

$0.81 RON 3.72

-13.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.11 RON 32.61

$9.56 RON 43.82

-25.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 RON 7.48

$1.63 RON 7.46

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

$21.6K RON 98.8K

$27.6K RON 126.6K

-21.91%

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

$22.7K RON 104.1K

$27.1K RON 124.2K

-16.17%

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

$126 RON 576

$160 RON 733

-21.40%

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

$6.41 RON 29.41

$9.06 RON 41.56

-29.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.76 RON 40.19

$10.14 RON 46.49

-13.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.26 RON 171

$44.86 RON 206

-16.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.99 RON 91.7

$19.93 RON 91.4

0.30%

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 RON 26.87

$7.93 RON 36.38

-26.10%

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

$339 RON 1,553

$475 RON 2,178

-28.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,608 RON 30.3K

$10.8K RON 49.3K

-38.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 RON 282

$70.0 RON 321

-12.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.38 RON 199

$39.45 RON 181

9.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 RON 444

$86.4 RON 396

11.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 RON 444

$100 RON 460

-3.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$430 RON 1,973

$714 RON 3,275

-39.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$369 RON 1,694

$559 RON 2,563

-33.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 RON 2,905

$1,244 RON 5,704

-49.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 RON 2,119

$943 RON 4,324

-50.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,524 RON 6,988

$4,645 RON 21.3K

-67.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,220 RON 5,594

$3,395 RON 15.6K

-64.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$899 RON 4,123

$1,314 RON 6,026

-31.59%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $430 in Buzau and $714 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 46% 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 $202 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 26% in total monthly costs ($1,115 vs $1,410 including rent). Buzau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 46% 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: $430 in Buzau versus $714 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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 $1,115 in Buzau versus $1,410 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 26% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.