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: $1,049 in Buzau versus $1,497 in Cluj-Napoca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,537 in Buzau versus $2,234 in Cluj-Napoca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,026 in Buzau versus $2,972 in Cluj-Napoca.

Living in Buzau costs roughly 30% less than in Cluj-Napoca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buzau is 24% below, Cluj-Napoca is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.18 RON 50.7

$13.28 RON 60.2

-15.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.07 RON 118

$57.0 RON 258

-54.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 RON 30.65

$10.13 RON 45.93

-33.27%

Cappuccino

$2.14 RON 9.71

$3.92 RON 17.76

-45.41%

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

$2.10 RON 9.51

$2.54 RON 11.52

-17.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 RON 6.91

$2.39 RON 10.84

-36.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 RON 7.98

$3.24 RON 14.69

-45.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 RON 8.11

$4.36 RON 19.80

-58.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 RON 8.03

$1.74 RON 7.88

1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 RON 6.07

$1.57 RON 7.10

-14.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 RON 6.88

$1.90 RON 8.63

-20.00%

Eggs

$3.22 RON 14.59

$3.99 RON 18.12

-19.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.69 RON 34.86

$9.70 RON 43.99

-20.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 RON 30.80

$7.75 RON 35.14

-12.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.85 RON 53.7

$12.36 RON 56.0

-4.13%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 RON 4.58

$1.51 RON 6.86

-33.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.78

$1.81 RON 8.20

-4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 RON 5.23

$2.01 RON 9.13

-42.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 RON 5.68

$2.63 RON 11.94

-52.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 RON 3.05

$1.00 RON 4.56

-33.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 RON 3.97

$1.00 RON 4.55

-13.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.49 RON 2.20

$0.98 RON 4.44

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 RON 3.32

$1.07 RON 4.84

-31.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.45 RON 29.24

$6.74 RON 30.55

-4.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.59 RON 29.89

$7.76 RON 35.20

-15.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RON 3.92

$1.29 RON 5.84

-33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 RON 6.61

$1.80 RON 8.17

-18.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 RON 3.06

$0.78 RON 3.54

-12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.45 RON 102

$31.80 RON 144

-29.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 RON 2.53

$0.97 RON 4.40

-42.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 RON 2.35

$1.01 RON 4.59

-48.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.65 RON 30.15

$9.00 RON 40.84

-26.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 RON 7.15

$1.91 RON 8.68

-17.28%

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

$20.1K RON 91.3K

$30.2K RON 136.9K

-33.31%

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

$22.3K RON 101.2K

$26.4K RON 119.7K

-15.52%

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

$124 RON 563

$168 RON 760

-25.90%

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

$8.09 RON 36.71

$8.78 RON 39.84

-7.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.17 RON 37.05

$10.41 RON 47.20

-21.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.19 RON 155

$48.20 RON 219

-29.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 RON 85.0

$23.92 RON 108

-21.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.33 RON 33.24

$10.15 RON 46.03

-27.78%

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

$310 RON 1,406

$613 RON 2,781

-49.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,973 RON 31.6K

$10.1K RON 45.8K

-31.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 RON 267

$92.4 RON 419

-36.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 RON 278

$47.93 RON 217

28.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 RON 466

$105 RON 475

-1.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.7 RON 393

$112 RON 510

-22.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 RON 1,690

$665 RON 3,016

-43.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 RON 1,413

$548 RON 2,484

-43.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$636 RON 2,884

$1,212 RON 5,498

-47.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$436 RON 1,975

$858 RON 3,893

-49.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,563 RON 7,087

$4,765 RON 21.6K

-67.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,255 RON 5,693

$3,587 RON 16.3K

-65.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$900 RON 4,082

$1,365 RON 6,191

-34.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.97

6.8

2.50%

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

Last update for Buzau: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cluj-Napoca: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $373 in Buzau and $665 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cluj-Napoca pays 52% 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: $26.00 in Buzau vs $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $248 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 43% in total monthly costs ($1,049 vs $1,497 including rent). Buzau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 52% 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: $373 in Buzau versus $665 in Cluj-Napoca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% 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 $26.00 versus $57.0 in Cluj-Napoca. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,049 in Buzau versus $1,497 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 43% less than in Cluj-Napoca. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.